There Will Be Blood
by johnnyboy7
Summary: Edward Cullen,25,the son of a Chicago mob boss. He is second-in-command, cold and dangerous. Bella Swan,18,small town girl who has just enrolled as a freshman at Northwestern. A story about how love can survive in the cruelest of worlds.Very OCC.Rated M.
1. Prologue

Prologue

"_One night I'm gonna come to you, inside of your house, wherever you're sleeping, and I'm gonna cut your throat until it bleeds."- Daniel Plainview._

* * *

Officer Jacob Black stood in the doorway and contemplated the huge pool of thick blood on the floor where Martin Langer was found. He turned and could see a similar pool where Tiffany Langer had lain. He pondered the extensive blood loss. It was a lot more than he was used to finding at shootings.

Jacob Black was twenty-seven, one of the youngest officers on the squad and had completed the Academy in little to no time due to his extensive determination and superior training. He was tall, dark skinned, muscular, menacing, skilled; the perfect candidate. His ranking had moved up quickly in a short amount of time, making him a favorite and a fully fledged detective at an early age.

Over the past six years in the Chicago Police Department, he had been a part of shootouts, bank robberies, drug busts and half a dozen high powered cases that had gained him glowing praise among the brass sitting in City Hall. He wasn't afraid of a fight and had honed his skills to the point of near perfection.

He could find anyone, defeat anyone and crack any case. It was child's play for him and he would surely be in the head position before he was forty. The top people were already talking about it.

The clicking of a crime scene camera caused him to focus harder on the case at hand. It was the Labor Day weekend; his girlfriend Leah and he had planned a nice trip out to Lake Michigan ... if he got off on time.

The blood was splattered on the furniture, on the carpet, on the white bed sheets, everywhere. The two pools had coagulated into a black and rusty-brown mass, which covered so much of the floor that the ambulance personnel had to walk through it, leaving tracks of footprints behind as they went around the house gathering evidence.

Black was wearing tennis shoes with pale blue booties over them. He let out a deep breath and the real crime scene investigation began.

There were only three people in the room, one was alive and two were dead.

The Langer's faces were blown off, making them unrecognizable and the whole room was a grave site, filled with a chilling air. Two technicians came into the bedroom, snapping photos and explaining scientific evidence like 'splatter distribution areas' and 'droplet velocity' but Black wasn't listening.

The facts would be compiled in a detailed report on where the killer had stood in relation to the victims, at what distance the shots were fired from, in which order the shots were fired, fingerprints that were left, anything that would help.

Black knelt near the thick pool of dark brown liquid that was dripping from the bed sheets onto the floor.

"The wife, what do we know about her?" Black asked one of his deputies named Seth Clearwater who was standing in the hallway.

"Nothing, she's clean. Not even a parking ticket." Clearwater replied.

"Uh huh." Black muttered. From personal experience, he knew that no one was clean, "What about the husband?"

"He's a very interesting character. French, studied abroad before he came here for business school. Forty-five, lots of money and two houses in the area. No kids..." Clearwater rattled off the important things.

"Any shady dealings?"

"Nothing much, but the surname Cullen appears in several of the documents about him. I have a team on them now."

"The Cullen's..." Black thought out loud.

"Yeah, you know them. Supposedly they're in organized crime, you know, mafia stuff, but nobody can ever pin things on them. It's like they're ghosts. Big Italian family that's so generous on the outside but all hell on the inside. They actually gave half a million in donations last year to the police department."

Of course Black knew the Cullen's.

They had attachments to over forty crime cases that were currently open but like Clearwater said, nothing could ever be held down in regards to evidence.

"Who heads the family up?" Black asked, just for clarification.

"Carlisle Cullen and he has three sons; Emmett, Jasper and Edward."

"A wife?"

"Esme, sir."

"We need to get in contact with the organized crime division. I want to know everything there is to know about them. I want to be in the know on this."

"But... why?"

"I think Martin Langer was their under-the-table accountant. That's what the signs point to at least and I haven't done any kind of serious investigating but I would bet that they had something to do with this."

Black stood up and began walking around the room, taking in the evidence around him. This was why he was the best. He could take the situation and turn it to find each hidden clue that had eluded previous detectives.

According to the evidence, Martin Langer and his wife Tiffany had been sharing a nice night at home. The white wine filled glasses were on the bedside table, the candles were flickering creating eerie shadows on the walls, and there was a thick smell of perfume in the air. The makings of a nice romantic night were everywhere. Unfortunately, the Langers never saw their night.

Anywhere from 8:00 p.m., when the neighbors heard the Langer's door close to midnight, the current time, someone had picked the outside lock, crept into the North Side Chicago apartment, and shot them. Point blank. No hesitation. No shaking hand. This was professional.

"I think we're looking in the wrong direction." Black rubbed the back of his neck, "We thought it was a burglary?"

"Yeah, a painting is gone from the hallway that was supposedly worth millions."

"And no one saw anything?"

"Nope."

Black knew he would re-canvas the area later and interview everyone again. No doubt about it.

"I don't like this." Clearwater walked behind Black, following his steps.

"There were only two bullet casings?"

"Well... there were no bullet casings found but only two shots that the ballistics staff have evidence for."

That made Black slightly mad. Was he working with amateurs? He took a deep breath to calm himself, "Two bullets, two bodies. Both dead on the first shot. This wasn't a robbery."

"But... the painting?" Clearwater pointed towards the hallway.

"It was a cover up. The perp could have given a fuck about the painting. This was a murder for a reason."

"This whole thing is a mess. Look at all this blood."

That did baffle Black. A trained assassin would have never left so much evidence around, meaning that this amount of blood was a message. It was taunting, saying 'Come and get me'.

This was Cullen work and Black vowed, this time, they weren't going to get away with it.

The blood on the walls, on the floor, on the carpet, on the mirror, it was all a sign that pointed right to the source but the only problem was, the Cullen's were smart.

Clearwater left the room on his phone and Black circled the crime scene one last time before heading to the door.

"There's a lot of blood on your hands Cullen." He sighed, "I'm coming for you all."

He closed the door on the worst shooting scene he had seen in his years on the force and straightened out his tie before walking back down the hall.


	2. Chapter 1

A World Ruled by Men

EDWARD POV

_"No one need think that the world can be ruled without blood. The civil sword shall and must be red and bloody." - Andrew Jackson_

Stephenie Meyer owns everything Twilight related.

* * *

_Ave Maria Gratia plena_  
_Maria Gratia plena_  
_Maria Gratia plena_  
_Ave, ave dominus_  
_Dominus tecum_  
_Benedicta tu in mulieribus_  
_Et benedictus_  
_Et benedictus fructus ventris_  
_Ventris tui Jesus_  
_Ave Maria_

I tuned out the first verse of Franz Schubert's _Ave Maria b_ecause to tell you the truth, I hated this fucking song. I had sung it every Sunday for twenty-five motherfucking years but a Cullen never missed church.

I sat in the front pew of Holy Name Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of the Holy Name. It's the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, one of the largest Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States. It's also the parish church of the Archbishop of Chicago. I know that all sounds like religious mumbo jumbo but I was required to know it, being the "devout Catholic" that I was.

_Total bullshit, if you ask me. _

The whole church was a huge Gothic monstrosity, consisting of sparkling marble, strong granite, towering steeples and large stain glass windows. Among the sprawling high-rises of downtown Chicago, the church looked like a misplaced antique house, trying to compete against modernity.

To my left, were my parents Carlisle and Esme. I studied their regal statures and how they seemed to radiate joy. My father was on the verge of fifty but could pass for my age easily. With his short, golden blonde hair and piecing blue eyes along with his structured face and the body of an athlete, he could model for almost any suit company, making millions. My mother, with her honey colored locks and dark green eyes was the picture of perfection. Together, they were the best looking couple in church and everyone envied them.

Just by his outside appearance, you would never guess that my father was the hardest motherfucker on the planet.

He was head of all Italian organized crime activity in Chicago and half of the country for that matter. Everyone was afraid of him. No matter who you were or what family you were from, the name 'Cullen' was synonymous with ruthlessness even though on the outside, we looked like the perfect blue-blooded American family.

In order to fully understand the dynamic of our group, you had to go way back.

According to the story, Great Grandpa Nicola Rossini stepped off of the boat in 1916. He was six and alone but he made it. I don't know how he got on that ship without the proper papers or documentation and he never told me the whole tale but I had a feeling that he had been doing illegal things all of his life. Stowing away on a boat heading for America was just another walk in the park for that badass. He was pushing one hundred now but still kicking, probably having the time of his life with some hot stewardess in France.

The second he stepped off the boat at Ellis Island, it was a fucking blood bath.

He had no money, no family, and no damn clue what he was doing, but he was smart. He lived the streets for about a year and from his stories, got whatever he wanted just by giving his "scary eye", which he had mastered before he was five. No one else could pull it off quite like him but once you got the look, you knew you were in for a world of hurt. I had only gotten it once and my ass still hurt from the butt kicking he gave me, but I digress.

He was a motherfucking beast and still was.

One day, when he was seven I think, he was caught stealing from the most ruthless street boss in Brooklyn, Edward Cullen, who I just happened to be named after. Edward Sr., as he was called, threatened to cut off Nicola's hand, as per mob rules but like I said, he was smart.

They made a deal. A deal that started it all.

Nicola would work for Edward Sr., learning throughout the years and training to become somebody in this country. Edward needed someone to run the streets for him and Nicola was the perfect solution. Little did Edward know, he just made the worst decision of his life.

By the time Great Grandpa was eighteen; Nicola Rossini had become Nicola Cullen and he had taken over after Edward Sr. died in a "car accident". He later told me that he had planned the whole thing. That was the start of the Nicola Cullen reign and the beginning of our family's lucrative businesses.

Long story short, he married, had a butt-load of kids and the line went down to my father, Carlisle.

It was strange to think of Carlisle as the head of any crime family because of his gentle nature. That's not to say that he hasn't killed a motherfucker or two but he only likes using violence when it's necessary.

I was more like Great Grandpa Cullen. Ruthless. Menacing. Violent.

After Nicola conquered Brooklyn and half of New York, he packed up, moving to Chicago where he set up shop from there. This city was the place I thrived in. This was the place where my father was born, where I was born, where I learned everything I knew.

My father married my mother Esme right out of college and they had been together ever since. After Nicola grew too old to run anything, he chose someone who could lead and someone who would do the family proud. Carlisle's father, my grandfather was that person but he was murdered quickly after taking over. Thus, Carlisle Cullen became the most feared man of the underworld with one wave of Great Grandpa's hand.

"Edward pay attention." My mother leaned over and whispered to me, hitting my knee.

"I am." I shrugged and she gave me a steely glare.

"No you're not, I won't have you daydreaming in church."

"Is it a sin?" I asked with an eye roll.

"Yes as a matter of fact, it is." She snapped and leaned back in the pew.

I sat up straighter but let my thoughts drift more and more from church.

The OCD in me detected that something was off and I frantically searched for what it was. A small page from the Bible next to me was sticking out and I just couldn't have that. I quickly tucked it back in and re-straightened my tie.

I wasn't clinically diagnosed with anything but my habits and mannerisms were classic OCD related. No one really cared enough to fix it and with the work I did, it actually helped me stay organized.

I was the second biological son of my parents, but still the youngest after my bigger brother Emmett and adoptive brother Jasper.

Being Sicilian Italian, family came very important to the Cullen's.

As the second son of Carlisle and Esme, I would normally be in no position to take over but if you knew Emmett, you would know why I was the favorite to rule our kind in twenty, thirty years. Whenever our father decided I was ready.

Emmett was a huge guy, the size of a professional linebacker but under all the muscle and bulk, was a boy who never took life too seriously. That was part of the reason why Carlisle was so willing to give second-in-command to me but don't let his teddy bear-like exterior fool you. Emmett was soft yet powerful. He could take down a roomful of Feds with a ballpoint pen and a paperclip. I admired him for his strength but his brains weren't too much to praise.

My second brother, of sorts, was Jasper. He wasn't actually related but you would never have been able to tell because he looked almost exactly like Carlisle and he was just as much my brother as Emmett was. My parents adopted him at the age of two, before I was born and the story was pretty twisted but we made it work.

Jasper was originally the son of a rival crime family who was all but wiped out by Carlisle's people. In any case, that left Jasper without parents and Esme refused to let him go into the foster care system so they adopted him on the spot. He wasn't given a chance to take over the reins since he wasn't technically family but he was happy to be a part of what we built.

The Cullen's were known as the toughest pieces of shit this side of Sicily and no one messed with us. Of course before we got to be top dogs, we had to beat everyone else down. The Irish, the blacks, the Japanese, Chinese, Colombians, Russians, Spanish, Brazilians. Basically we owned the Eastern seaboard and it crept into the Mid-West.

We had syndicates in London, New York, Miami, Tokyo, LA, Seattle, Hong Kong, Moscow and Puerto Rico but Chicago was home base.

We dealt in everything from drugs to illegal exports but the Cullen specialty was guns. I knew my way around a Colt .45 by the time I was four and could handle the kickback myself at the age of five. Although all three sons went to school for business, Carlisle made sure we could handle any situation on the streets and taught us how to use a gun before we could walk.

Diamonds, cocaine and money were always going through our mafia connections, but the one thing we never touched was humans. Carlisle wouldn't even entertain the idea of selling another person for money even though many of the other crime families dealt in it heavily.

_We had a heart when we wanted one!_

Under him, my father probably had about two thousand people working all over the world. It was hard to keep track of them all and some say a mob family should be a small family or it will never work but no one stayed around very long if they weren't doing their jobs.

In the immediate family, there were about ten who made the decisions, starting with my father then moving to me, then Emmett, then Jasper.

We were a tight knit group that valued loyalty and secrecy above all else. If you didn't comply by the rules, well... use your imagination. We Cullen men were known for being creative.

"Edward, I mean it. Pay attention." My mother hit my knee again.

"I am." I groaned but my thoughts couldn't have been further from the Lord.

Emmett and Jasper snickered from beside me.

"Pussies." I whispered under my breath.

"Dipshit." Emmett shot back.

"Boys, I will not have that language in church. We're all going to confessional before we leave." Esme interrupted our fighting.

"Come on Ma, that priest is a fucking boy toucher. I can't even look at him." Jasper shuddered.

"He doesn't do that kind of thing. Father O'Malley is well respected and you better be listening." She pointed at all three of us.

Carlisle just shook his head with a smirk.

It was funny, actually laughable to see the Cullen's in church but it wasn't an option not to be, Nicola made sure of that. He said that the less inconspicuous you were, the less the Feds were on your tail so that was why we did "normal shit", as I called it. The weekdays were for the mob and the weekends were for the family.

Every Saturday, Esme hosted a huge dinner at the house and we all ate with the entire family, which included about forty people. Some of them were blood related and others not but they were all considered family by Esme. Sunday was church and then we would all get in the cars, headed towards the Rosehill Cemetery to change the flowers on Esme's father's grave, no matter what the weather. After that, it was usually relaxing until we were back to hard drugs, money, and guns on Monday.

_God, I love my life!_

Of course, just because we were leaders of the mafia didn't mean that we didn't have legitimate businesses. Emmett, Jasper and I all went to Harvard for undergrad and Dartmouth for our MBAs, which our father insisted we have if we planned on going into his line of work. He never pushed us to join the family but it was common knowledge that we were all going to follow him.

In addition to our crime life, we all had a normal life as well.

I was in real estate, not for anyone but myself. I owned three highrises in Chicago and numerous other ones around the country. My brothers lived with me in one of them and we basically tore the place apart with our frat boy antics. I owned the penthouse obviously but Emmett and Jasper lived in the floors below.

Jasper owned three clubs and some restaurants around the city that had basically become places of worship for young tourists and socialites. Emmett and my father were the real businessmen. According to anyone not in the know, Carlisle was a hedge fund manager.

_Yeah right._

"So congregation, I urge you to do something good for the week. Be nice to someone, do a good deed." Father ended his sermon, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Amen." The collective voice of over six hundred spoke.

"The Lord be with you."

"And also with you." We finally concluded.

_What a bunch of losers._

I had never missed a Sunday of church but that was only because of Esme. I would love to sleep in or go work out during the hour of eight o'clock mass but she wouldn't hear of it. Whatever my mother wanted, she got. She was the sweetest woman on this planet, living in a word ruled by men who dominated chaos. She was also the only woman I ever loved and probably the only woman I would ever love.

I didn't do love. That was for pussy whipped suckers who had nothing better to do. I didn't do relationships either. Never did, never will. The only one who had someone steady was Emmett with his fuck hot girlfriend of a couple years, Rosalie Hale.

She used to work as Carlisle's secretary and everyone knew that she and Emmett liked each other but they beat around the bush for awhile. That was the difference between Emmett and me. I took what I wanted, no matter what. If I wanted Rosalie, then I would have had her... and I did. Multiple times.

Of course that was before her and Emmett got together and I didn't think he knew about all of that so we were going to keep it under wraps. It was just sex anyway, just like with every other girl I had met.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Jasper stretched from his seat.

"I wish you boys would take a day off." Esme said and hooked her arm around my father's.

"No time, Ma. We have things to do." Emmett cracked his knuckles. Rosalie flicked her long, blonde hair behind her shoulder and I saw some of the teenagers in the pews behind us sneak a peek. They immediately straightened out once Emmett shot them a glare.

"Well, we have to put some flowers on your Grandfather's grave and then you're all free." She said, "Just make sure you're at the house for dinner."

Esme tried to get to my hair but I stopped her, "Ma, really? I'm a twenty-five year old man."

"I was just trying to help you out with your hair. I know how you hate it when it's out of place."

"Sorry, I was rushing this morning." I said as I ran my hands through it, making sure that everything was perfect. The family began walking through the crowds that were leaving. We slowly strolled through the church, towards the exit.

"Yeah, he was out with me last night." Jasper hit my shoulder and I cringed from the touch. I didn't like people having their hands on me.

If the people in this church knew what Jasper and I were doing last night, the whole place would burn down. I crossed myself for good measure, just in case and then did it again because odd numbers were a no go in my book.

"I don't know why you boys can't just sit at home once and a while. Read or take a nice walk." Esme said sweetly.

"Really, with the way they act?" Rose laughed as we stepped into the sunlight of early September. The blistering Chicago heat was oppressive but nothing that would keep us indoors. We all put on our sunglasses and looked like we stepped out of a fucking movie.

"Feds, three o'clock." Jasper pointed to a black town car that was waiting down the street from the church. There were two fat ass cops, sitting, waiting, trying to be stealthy.

"When are they going to give up?" Carlisle shook his head and helped Esme down the stone steps of the church, "It's really getting pathetic."

"Well, if you were a legitimate businessman, they wouldn't be there." Esme whispered.

My mother knew the horrible things her family was capable of and what we did but she tried to stay out of it. She never liked talking about industry stuff and rarely gave any input on situations that weren't legal.

"I still don't understand why they don't go home. I'm sure they have families to go to." Rose actually waved to them sarcastically. She could be a bitch when she wanted to be and we were all kind of scared of her.

"Let's go before you invite them to dinner." Emmett pulled her down State Street where our cars were waiting in a discrete parking lot.

"Uh...son, I need to speak with you." Carlisle clapped my shoulder, "Why don't we take a walk." He suggested like it was an option.

"Sure." I replied, "Let me put my coat up." I unbuttoned the coat of my navy blue pin-striped suit and shrugged out of it.

I left them standing, talking while I ran over to my baby.

My cherry red Saleen S7 was my pride and joy, bought right after I graduated from Dartmouth. I would literally kill for this car. I unlocked the driver's side, butterfly door and put my coat behind it, folding it neatly like a delicate flower.

I didn't like creases and I didn't feel like dealing with the jacket later, tackling it with an iron.

I rolled up the sleeves to my white button down and made sure my hair was straight in the window before going back over to Carlisle who was standing alone.

My mother was going with Emmett and Rose while Jasper was going to do God knows what with the rest of his day. I hoped they didn't forget that we had work to do later.

"What's this all about?" I asked and stuffed my hands in my pockets.

"Just keep walking." He said from beside me as we moved down State Street and over to Madison.

The heat was sweltering but I didn't sweat. I never sweat. I had trained myself to keep that under control.

There were a whole lot of people walking around us and even though they didn't' know my father and I, they felt to stay away. We gave off that kind of vibe.

_Don't mess with us._

Carlisle and I had a weird relationship that was strained due to work but when we were relaxed, I got the old Carlisle that I grew up with. He was loving and warm but there was little to no place for that in the crime world. When he was in business mode, you knew it.

He and I moved casually yet with a purpose. I didn't really know where we were going but at this point, I didn't question him. We walked to an ice cream vendor who was serving a group of kids.

"Two vanilla." Carlisle pulled out his wallet. I cringed because I really didn't want to eat anything messy right now but if my father wanted me to shove ice cream up my ass, then I would have shoved ice cream up my ass. That's how everyone was with him.

"That will be five-fifty, sir." The man said with a thick accent that I detected was Polish.

"Wow, pretty steep for ice cream." Carlisle chuckled heartily.

"I know but got to feed the family." The vendor said shyly, handing us our frozen treats.

"Keep the change." My father paid with a five hundred dollar bill.

We left while the ice cream man was staring, stunned at the money in his hand.

"That was nice." I said as I took a long lick of my cone, trying to get the moisture that was about to dribble onto my hand.

"I'll find out who he is, pay for his rent or something." My father replied.

"What's with all this? Am I in trouble?" I asked, slightly nervous but masking it well.

"Just keep eating. There's a big man, Emmett's size, following us on the other side of the street. Don't look." My father snapped as I turned my head, "He's dark skinned, short black hair. You'll get a look once we sit up here on the bench."

I kept eating, per my father's command and didn't lift my head. The only thing that was taking my mind off of the man behind us was the glances of some pretty hot chicks who were eyeing me up and down a couple yards ahead.

I kept licking my ice cream, making sure they saw that I could use my tongue and was glad that they couldn't see my eyes behind my sunglasses because I would probably have been arrested for sexual harassment without even touching them.

"Edward, pay attention." My father brought my mind back, "Sit." He pointed to a bench in front of us, in a small park. There was a windy breeze that was flowing in the trees above and I enjoyed looking at the hustle of Chicago during this time of day.

This was my city.

We both sat down and I noticed precisely who Carlisle was mentioning before.

"Jacob Black?" I asked, knowing exactly who he was, an arch enemy of sorts.

"Keep eating. They can't read our lips." Carlisle said, "He's a smart whippersnapper that's been on the force for a couple of years. He's been tracking us for a while but of course..."

"We're too good." I gloated.

"Don't get a big head, Edward. Being conceited never did anything positive for anyone."

"Sorry, sir." I shut my mouth, "Continue."

"He's going to be keeping a close eye on us for the next couple of months."

"Why? What's different now?" I already knew the answer to that. The truth was, I needed a challenge and Black provided that for me.

I knew something must have happened for us to be getting a more constant police detail though.

"Who did the Langer job? I told you to keep it quiet and only the husband." He got angry under his breath, "Then I find out that his wife was killed too and the evidence was everywhere. There was too much blood..."

"Uh...I handled that."

"Edward, get yourself together." Carlisle said sternly, "We've been very lucky in the past but things won't be so easy if you keep messing up. I don't have time for mistakes."

"Sorry sir."

"How long?" He asked simply and to anyone else, they would have been so confused by our conversation but I knew his meaning well.

"One second." I replied and hung my head.

"It takes one second to say 'I'm sorry'." He repeated like he had since I was a child, "It takes that amount of time to cock a gun. You could be dead by the time you utter the words." He said calmly.

Since my childhood, he had always taught us that 'I'm sorry' was a phrase only to be used in the most dire of circumstances because I could be dead before I had the chance to say the words.

"Don't apologize to me." He crossed his right leg over his left, looking the picture perfect definition of calm.

"I wasn't thinking."

"It's no problem. I have everything under control but I just wanted to make you aware of our new tag-along." My father finished his ice cream.

"I know. Did you clean the mess up?"

"Yes, someone took the fall for a robbery. Apparently, a painting was stolen or something like that. The case is closed and was sealed off. Black is trying to get it back opened as a murder but the brass won't hear it. They're too busy trying to raise their arrest numbers to spend time working out a murder." He stalled, "The point of the matter is, I expected more from you. I can't keep cleaning up the mess you boys leave behind. I don't have time."

"I'll do better."

We stayed silent for a long minute as the breeze picked up. Just by smelling the air, I could predict a storm coming off of the Lakes and it would probably be here by nightfall.

I looked across the street and saw Black reading a magazine at a kiosk, plain as day. I couldn't help the crocked grin that was plastered on my face. Black and I had played cat and mouse for the past three years and he had yet to catch up to me.

The Langer's were just a small piece of the evil things that went down in the Cullen clan. By now, it wasn't an issue for me to walk into a roomful and just start unloading led into anyone who crossed me.

Martin was my target. He used to be my father's accountant or one of them at least and when I went over the books last month like I did every month, I found some discrepancies. There was about two million missing from an offshore account in Jamaica that my father kept as part of his drug running in the Caribbean. The money just vanished and that was something I wasn't putting up with.

I questioned Langer, he had nothing to say, and I let him go. Coincidentally, a very nice villa in Greece that cost two million dollars, sprung up in his name. I went over to punish him. I didn't get played, the money wasn't even a serious issue but no one made a fool of me.

His wife was just a casualty. She wasn't supposed to be home but since she was, she had to bear the burden of her husband's cross. I wasn't leaving any witnesses.

The blood was my own little touch.

It was a message. I knew that Black would be handling the case but wouldn't get anywhere with it... just like it always was with these things. I actually painted that shit over the room like I was Jackson fucking Pollock, flinging it over the walls, on the bed sheets, on the carpet. It was actually fun and I didn't usually do fun.

I was just trying to liven up the dry, boring affair that Black and I were having. He was so thick and stupid. He thought he was some hot shot over there at the Department but if he was really someone, he would have caught onto us years ago. No one ever did and no one ever would.

"He won't be a problem." I leaned back matter-of-factually.

"No. We're too smart for him."

I laughed, "I thought that being conceded was a negative trait."

"For you. I've earned it." My father grinned at me, "Let's get going. Esme would kill me if we were late to the cemetery."

After an hour of driving and placing flowers on the grave of a grandfather I never met, I was free until I had to be home for dinner.

I decided to take a drive and let my Saleen stretch her legs.

I took Highway 61, past the University of Chicago and then the yuppies of Northwestern as I blasted out of the city. The tall trees surrounded me on all sides as I took the road at 150 mph. I had a proclivity for fast cars, hot women and dangerous situations.

That was who I was. Edward Cullen. No muss, no fuss.

Frankly, I was a monster, a vampire, a killer and I loved it. I was a torturer and a murderer, wrapped in two thousand dollar suits on top of five thousand dollar shoes. I lived off of cocaine and hard liquor although I wasn't addicted to any of the shit that I pumped through my body. I had limits when it came to drugs and mostly stuck to coke that came through our dealings but that wasn't to say I wasn't up for trying new things. I got pussy whenever I wanted and I didn't even try to act like I sought any kind of relationship with someone.

I had a few good qualities but they were mostly outshined by the bad.

I was possessive, jealousy ran through my veins, hatred lived behind my eyes, I had the temper of a bull and little patience for slow movers or people who didn't do what I told them. I had to be in control at all times and didn't take orders from anyone besides my mother or father.

I didn't have time to cultivate relationships or friendships because that was beneath me. Who cared if I didn't have friends? It was better to be feared than loved and that was the motto I lived by.

I wasn't even paying attention as I passed a fucking minivan on the highway and felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

"Cullen." I answered.

"_Yo, yo bro!" _Emmett replied, "_I just dropped Ma and Rosie off at the house. When are we going to finish this thing? I don't have time after dinner."_

I made a completely illegal and badass turn on the road, into the other lane, "I'm heading back into the city now. I'll meet you at the warehouse in half an hour?"

"_Sure thing. I'll get Jazz."_

I ended the call without any sentimental conclusion and picked up speed as I headed back to Chicago.

I popped the bottom floor board of the Saleen in the passenger's seat and dug through until I found my second baby.

I pulled out the sterling silver, ivory handled, Desert Eagle that fit perfectly in my hands and had nearly molded itself to my body. This was my special gun, the one I used when I wanted to finish a job while showing off a little. It didn't have a silencer and wasn't a stylish assassin type gun although I used those as well, but my Desert Eagle was my go-to weapon. I had an identical one that was gold platted at home but I rarely used that. That one required a special occasion.

I set the gun in my lap and thumped my fingers on the steering wheel as I headed to the city and weaved through the early morning traffic.

I arrived at the south end of the city in no time. The wharf was huge and the place where all the big barges came into the city. There were warehouses and loading docks everywhere but the noise provided a great shield for the business that we were in. Carlisle basically owned everything down here anyway so we could use this place to our advantage.

I kept up a constant speed as I pulled next to Emmett's Mercedes SL65 that he and Jasper were leaning against.

I stepped out of the car and my Italian loafers made a soft noise in the puddle at my feet.

"Shit." I muttered and tried to shake the dirty water off. I twisted my neck as the uneasiness of dirt seeped into my skin. I breathed deeply and didn't let the feeling overtake me.

_OCD is a bitch!_

"Can you slow down? My car is too precious to get damaged." Emmett ran his hand along the slick, silver paint.

"Yeah, yeah." I huffed, "Let's get this over with. It's about to storm like a beast." I looked up to the sky where dark swirling clouds were rumbling above.

"What are we doing here again?" Jasper muttered as we side-stepped puddles, going into the furthest warehouse on the left side near the edge of the water.

Emmett pulled out his phone and scrolled through some information, "I think Dad wants us to question this dude about the dealings in Miami."

"He heads everything down there?" I opened the metal door.

"No, he's just a low level guy but he's shady as shit. Dad doesn't trust him. He thinks he's a cop or something."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Jasper shrugged, "Let him stay undercover for all I care."

"We can't do that." Emmett sighed, "He would know too much. We have to finish this."

Somewhere in the back of my mind, the alarms were going off. 'You can't kill a cop, Edward!', but I pushed those thoughts out. I had done it before. Killing was like second nature to me. I already knew I was going to hell, no need to mention it again.

I shoved the Desert Eagle down my belt in the back after checking my bullet supply. I was good to go.

We silently walked into the warehouse that was practically empty except for a couple of crates pushed up against the far walls, some kind of plywood that was stacked high to the ceiling, a chair in the middle of the vacant space and a trembling man of about thirty sitting in it. There were no windows and only the front door. A soft light was on but didn't provide much to see with.

"Let's get dirty." I muttered and regretted my words but I knew I would be alright. Killing was the only thing I didn't mind getting dirty with. I loved blood as long as it was pouring from someone else.

We all approached the man casually, fanning out so that we looked incredibly scary.

Emmett and Jasper took off their jackets, flinging them over a crate before rolling up their sleeves.

I circled my prey like a vulture and took him in, assessing the situation.

He was a man with some meat on his bones who looked like he could be a challenge if I was someone weaker. His head was bowed and his hands were tied behind the chair in a thick rope. I saw the red marks on his wrists, signaling to me that he had tried on more than one occasion to get out of them. He was breathing heavily but I knew that was from his position in the chair, which was very painful.

He was shorter than I was, I could already see that even with him being seated and had nothing on but a pair of boxers. He was wet with sweat and water. I guess my father had already sent someone over to soften him up.

"What's your name?" I said from behind him, coolly and calmly.

"Markos." His accent was strong.

"Where are you from?" My tone was sharp and deadly.

"Croatia."

Jasper, Emmett and I silently looked at each other, our words went through our minds without leaving our mouths.

_He's not a Fed. He's Eastern European mob shit!_

"Who do you work for?"

"No one."

It happened so fast, I wouldn't have known anything was going on if Markos hadn't let out a yelp of pain that echoed off of the empty walls.

Emmett slammed a piece of plywood across Markos' thighs, causing a loud sound to ricochet around us. The wood splintered down the middle from force but didn't crack completely.

"Damn, I wanted to see if I could break his femur." Emmett pouted childishly, "I guess we need a stronger piece of wood." He went off to the stack near the door and spent a couple of seconds appraising the selection.

"I'll ask you again, who do you work for?" I circled until I was an arm's length in front of him, creating more dramatic effect.

That was all this job was about, drama. I could kill him right now if I wanted. No harm done.

"No one." Markos' teeth were gritted.

I swiftly removed the Eagle from behind me and blew a hole the size of a grapefruit in his left knee. With precision, the bullet ripped through the bone, causing blood and muscle matter to spray my shirt but I didn't flinch.

I retracted my arm, letting it fall gingerly at my side with the gun still in full view.

He let out a string of curse words and I could smell the salt from his tears as they left his eyes.

_Fucking pussy._

"Okay, okay." Marcos squirmed and I could see the tears falling from his face. His entire left leg would have to be amputated if he lived through this, "His name is Sergio. He's Russian and sent me to infiltrate."

I blew another hole through his left shin in two seconds. His screams were enough to almost deafen me but they were masked by the loud blow horns and sea birds outside. There was no need for a silencer. No one would hear us.

"You gave up too easily." I wiped some blood from the barrel, "If I was your mob boss, you would have already been dead for revealing that information. You didn't even put up a fight."

"I've been locked in here for a week. I haven't eaten and someone comes in every hour to beat the hell out of me until I talk. I don't have any fight left in me!"

"Pity." Jasper said under his breath.

"There's no winning with you guys is there?" Markos sobbed pathetically. I just rolled my eyes.

Jasper untied Markos from his bindings at my request and he fell to the ground in a pool of blood that was seeping from his leg.

"I want to know everything you took from us." Jasper sat in the chair with his arms crossed.

"Nothing, I swear. I've only been in for a couple of months."

"You're stupid and lazy. You got caught because you were stealing the shipments out of Miami. Where were you sending them?" Emmett asked coldly, all pretenses were gone from his voice. A business Emmett could be very scary.

"Russia. Sergio wants to take you down. Everyone does." The accent was making it hard to understand him and along with the heavy panting, I knew we weren't going to get much more out of our good friend Markos.

"How much did you take?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Just a couple kilos of coke..." He didn't have time to finish his sentence before I put a bullet straight through his forehead. His neck jerked back violently from the force of the led that was ripping through his brain and came out the other end.

Blood flew like a gusher from the large wound out of the back and was now everywhere but somehow, Emmett and Jasper were clean.

_Lucky bastards._

"I have to change now before dinner." I tsked myself, not caring that a man was just obliterated by my own hand.

"You're always the messy one. It's embarrassing." Jasper slapped his knee, "Look at me, pristine as can be." He held up his arms.

I flung some blood that was on my gun across his shirt, causing it to stain a deep red.

Emmett was rolling with laughter so I got him too, which shut him up.

"Goddamn it, Edward. Rosie can't get blood out of cotton and this was her favorite one on me."

"You are such a little bitch." I snickered.

He hit me in the shoulder with a piece of wood, not hard enough to hurt but just enough to leave a mark.

"I guess we've got to deal with this piece of shit." Jasper sighed and pointed to Markos.

"We'll have the new guys dump him in the river." Emmett patted his stomach, "Right now, I'm starving."

He grabbed his jacket before bounding out of the warehouse. Jasper followed and I was the last one out.

I stuffed my gun back in my belt and shut the heavy metal door with a clang.

This was my life. Take it or leave it.

* * *

**HOLY GUN SHOTTIN' EDWARD BATMAN**

**THERE YOU HAVE IT. THE PROLUGE AND CHAPTER 1 ARE UP FOR TWbB. I LOVE THIS STORY ALREADY AND ME ALONG WITH THE BETA ARE TRYING TO GET CHAPTERS OUT THERE. THIS STORY WILL HAVE MORE OF A SCHEDULE THAN LDV AND THVC. I WILL BE POSTING A NEW CHAPTER EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY SO LOOK OUT FOR THOSE. **

**HOW DID WE LIKE EDWARD? I KNOW, A JERK BUT THIS STORY IS ABOUT CHANGE SO WE'LL SEE IF LOVE CAN CRUMBLE THE ALMIGHTY EDWARD CULLEN. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THIS IS PRETTY GRPHIC STUFF SO KEEP AN OPEN MIND. BE WARNED IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH. NOT ALL CHAPTERS WILL BE LIKE THE ONE ABOVE BUT SOME WILL SO GET READY. **

**LOVE THE RECEPTION THIS IS GETTING ALREADY. KEEP IT UP AND SEND ME MORE REVIEWS. **

**NEXT, WE HAVE BELLA'S POV. **


	3. Chapter 2

Purity

"_It has been said that the position of woman is the test of civilization, and that of our women was secure. In them was vested our standard of morals and the purity of our blood." - Charles Eastman_

BELLA POV

Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight related.

* * *

Finally, college is here!

I can leave the mundane world of high school behind. No more mean girls and busywork; onto the exciting world of college professors and twenty page papers that would dominate my weekends. The funny thing about all of this was that I was excited about the long nights in the library and exams that would make the Loch Ness monster cower.

I have always loved school and learning. I guess you could call me a geek since I don't do much else besides studying and maybe watching a movie or two when I get bored. My two main friends that I have in my hometown of Forks, Washington always make fun of me for being so brainy but I have the last laugh, getting into Northwestern and all.

I haven't had many experiences in my short existence but I guess that was to be expected from a girl who's lived in a town with less than five thousand people almost her whole life.

My parents separated when I when I was a baby and I had lived in Phoenix with my mother for a large chunk of time. Renee got remarried when I began middle school and I wanted to let her and her new husband Phil have some alone time. I decided to move in with my dad Charlie.

Charlie and I used to not have such a great relationship but now, I couldn't see growing up without him. He was a man of few words but always treated me like an adult and never belittled me like my mother did. It wasn't that I didn't love Renee because I did but even I had to admit that she could be a little annoying. She would never let me breathe without hovering but I guess all mothers did that.

I was going to miss everything about my little town in northern Washington and to be honest, I was a slightly nervous. Hell, I had never even been off of the west coast before, living in Phoenix and Forks my whole life.

I had never thought that Northwestern was an option for me since I'm not that smart and Charlie barely had enough money to support us. I applied on a whim and got encouragement from my best friend Angela Webber who said I was too good to stay in Washington. I applied on the condition that she would stop hounding me every five seconds. When I got my acceptance letter, I nearly jumped off of the roof from excitement but I had to bring myself back to reality when I realized that I didn't have enough money to go to Chicago.

_Community college, here I come!_

I didn't have a problem staying local but my father wouldn't hear of it. I was in that damned section of the educational population where I was smart enough to get into a good college but not smart enough to get any scholarship money. I got a few thousand dollars here and there but not nearly enough to attend Northwestern.

At the beginning of the summer, suddenly Charlie just said that he would take care of it. I didn't know how he did it until I saw the mail one day and there was a mortgage slip for the house. He fucking mortgaged his house so that I could go to a good school. I tried to make him reverse whatever stupid deed he had done but he wouldn't even entertain my thinking. He already had three Northwestern bumper stickers and a couple of shirts that he was handing out to some of the squad members at the police station.

I relented because there was no way that I was going to win an argument with Charlie. He was just as, if not more stubborn than I was, causing our spats to be fairly heated. I could tell that he was struggling to keep the power on with his new financial woes but he wouldn't hear my protests. When I suggested that Renee put up half, he almost shot me with his gun. He said he could do it by himself and wouldn't have her doing something that he was more than capable of handling.

Thankfully, I had worked hard over the summer at a local movie theater so that I could pay for the small things like books and other necessities that I would purchase when I got to Chicago.

I was going to miss my best friend and even though she was staying here, Angela and I promised to keep in touch. I knew that we would naturally drift apart, me being on one side of the country and her, the other but I hoped that we could keep some sliver of the relationship we had.

My two small bags were packed, my tuition was paid, and I was ready to go. Charlie would be okay by himself because he was fine before I came around and he would be fine without me.

To be honest, I really shouldn't be going to a big city like Chicago or Northwestern for that matter. Northwestern was the place where rich kids go who know what they want to do with their lives. I was a seventeen-year old girl, about to be eighteen, who didn't know what to do with her life. Was that normal? Fortunately, I could just check the 'undecided' box on my application but I knew that was going to have to change soon. I prayed that I found what I liked before it was too late.

Right now, I was leaning towards literature but where were the job prospects in that?

"Bells, we need to leave in a couple of hours." My father called from the family room as I finished my cereal at the kitchen table.

"Okay, let me just go say bye." I gobbled down what was left in my bowl and threw it in the sink, "I'll be back in half an hour." I called out of the door.

I ran into the constant downpour that was Forks weather and jumped into the faded red 1954 Chevy pickup that Charlie bought me when I turned sixteen. It was complete junk but I loved it.

The engine thundered and I tried to memorize the noise because it would be a long time until I heard that sound again. With the tuition being so much, Charlie didn't really have any extra money to buy me plane tickets every couple of months. I would most likely be back in Forks for Christmas but definitely not Thanksgiving or Spring Break.

I drove through the small neighborhoods of Forks until I stopped in front of the white house on the corner, a couple minutes from mine. If it wasn't raining, I would have walked.

I made sure to look at everything while I passed so I could remember what peace felt like. Chicago was in no way like Forks and even though I wasn't necessarily a country girl, I had never been into the concrete jungles of other cities besides Phoenix. Seattle was big I guess but from what I saw on the Internet, Chicago was ten times larger. I hope I can hang with the big fish.

I pulled in front of the white house with Mike Newton standing on the front porch in nothing more than sweatpants, leaving the muscles of his chest exposed.

_Damn him!_

I had always had some sort of attraction to Mike. It wasn't romantic but it was definitely hormonal. He was my other best friend in this town and had been my first everything. Dance, kiss... other things. He brought out emotions in me that I couldn't even imagine but we had never tried to have an actual relationship. It just wouldn't work.

"I'm sorry I'm late." I ran through the rain and shook off the water once I was under the covered porch.

"No problem." He smiled sadly, "You all packed up?"

"I guess so. All two bags." I replied sarcastically, "I don't own much else."

"Damn, I can't believe our little Bella is off to the big city." He picked me up and spun me around.

"Mike, put me down." I laughed furiously as he tickled my sweet spot.

He set me back on the ground but didn't relinquish his hold on me. I rested my head on his chest.

"Don't you own a shirt?" I joked, not that I cared.

"I just woke up. Deal with it." His tone changed, "We'll all miss you Bella."

"I'll miss you guys too, especially you." I kissed his lips lightly, only allowing us to stay connected for a short second.

"It's you I'm worried about." He responded, "Make sure to keep the boys off. I want my Bella back when you get here for Christmas."

"I bet you do." I hit him.

He shrugged, "I'm a guy, you're a girl. Things happen."

"What are you going to do here all alone?" I asked.

"Angela and Ben and I will hang out. We're all going to the same school anyway."

I felt kind left out of the group since I was going so far away.

"Be safe Bella. I mean it." Mike hugged me closer like he didn't want to let me go.

Ten minutes later, I was back in the truck, on my way to Charlie who was waiting to take me to the Sea-Tac airport.

"Are you sure you have everything?" He asked as he looked around the house.

"Yes Dad, we can only do so many checks."

"I just have this feeling that you're leaving something." He spoke in his gruff voice and scratched his stubbled jaw, "What if you leave something important?"

"Then you can send it to me."

I only had two suitcases due to the fact that I barely had any personal items. I took some of my clothes, which mostly consisted of tee shirts and jeans and some books along with family pictures. That was it. Nothing else was worth bringing.

"Okay then, I guess it's time to say goodbye to the old house." Charlie chuckled.

"Goodbye house!" I shouted.

He cringed, "Was that really necessary, Bella?"

"Come on old man." I pulled him out of the door and to his police cruiser.

The drive was silent except for the radio, which was providing some background music but it wasn't an awkward silence. Charlie was one of those people who didn't need to say anything and you wouldn't feel uncomfortable around him. You just had to sit back and listen to silence. He would talk when he wanted.

We made it to Seattle in the perfect amount of time and I could tell that he was trying to prolong my departure by the way he was standing at the entrance to the airport. His shoulders were hunched, his hands stuffed in his pockets and eyes on the ground.

"So, you got everything you need?" He shifted his weight.

I nodded and we stayed quiet for another minute before I spoke.

"Look, I know you don't like to make big emotional scenes but I just wanted to thank you...for so much."

"You're my daughter and I haven't been much of a father for the first part of your life but I'm going to do what I can now." He said with conviction.

"But you didn't have to do that thing with the house..."

He interrupted me, "Are we going to start this again? I told you it was nothing. Stop worrying about it and go have fun in college but stay safe. Please be safe Bella." He wrapped his arms around me and I hugged him in return. We stayed that way for a long time before he pulled back.

"I'll call every other day." I said.

"That's a little much kid. How about three times a week?" He laughed.

"Deal. Do you think I can get away with the same thing on Renee?"

"Absolutely not. I'm surprised she hasn't called you yet."

"It's coming. I can feel it."

"Well call me as soon as you get there. I mean it Bella."

"Will do Dad." I hugged him again.

I was on the plane an hour later and felt the weight of my new life bare down on me as we took off.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, the plane was beginning to descend and I didn't even get to wake up fully before the seat belt sign dinged. Everyone started to get off very quickly.

Charlie wanted to come help me get set up in the big city but I begged him to stay home. He couldn't afford to take off a couple of days from work.

I made my way though O'Hare International Airport to the baggage claim and then out into the hustle of a September Chicago.

God, even the airport was a maze and for a barely one hundred pound girl with two suitcases, it was hard but I made it. I went to the line where the taxis were eagerly waiting to take people wherever they wanted to go and a happy driver helped me put my bags in the trunk.

"So, where to miss?" He said in an accent. I think it was Irish or something like that.

"Uh...Northwestern University." I said as firmly as possible.

He laughed, "This is your first time to Chicago isn't it?"

"Yeah, how could you tell?"

"I can just tell. You don't have that swagger about you. You'll learn though." He put the bags away quickly and I had to practically run into the cab before he took off.

I stayed silent and looked at my new home out of the window.

Since it was early September, the sky was a bright blue and the white clouds drifted at a leisurely pace. I forgot how beautiful the sun was since Forks only got a couple of good days a year. We made our way through the tall skyscrapers and shining glass edifices. I hated to think it but I was more of a country girl than I thought. Seattle was nothing like the pace of Chicago.

I actually gasped a small sound when we flew over the Chicago River, which was an odd shade of green that sparkled in the sunlight.

"You are too cute." The taxi driver exclaimed and looked into the rearview mirror.

"Sorry, I just haven't seen anything like this before."

"Well let me welcome you to Chi Town."

The rest of the ride was spent in my own personal tour of the city. He took me around and pointed out famous landmarks as we passed them. I didn't know where to look first and there was so much going on, I had to close my eyes a couple of times to stop the spinning.

We passed the gigantic Chicago Board of Trade building that looked like it reached up into the sky, The Chicago Theater was sitting proudly on my left as we stopped at a traffic light on North State Street and then the famed Sears Tower that had to be the tallest building in the world.

Finally, I gave him the address to Allison Hall and my heart beat steadily as we pulled up to my home for the next year. It surprised me how much greenery and vegetation there was on a city campus but I was happy to see that I could lie out on the grass if I wanted to.

"Here we are." The cabbie pressed a button on the dashboard, "The ride is free since it's your first one."

"Oh, I can't do that."

"No, I insist. Let me get your bags." He hopped out of the car and went to the back. I followed him quickly.

The whole campus was very modern with angular buildings and a strong sense of superiority. There were kids everywhere, moving in with parents, carrying boxes and picking up luggage to take to their rooms.

I gave the cab driver some kind of payment even though he fought me on it but he finally backed down. He drove off down the street and suddenly, I was alone on the sidewalk.

I let out a deep breath before dragging my suitcases behind me, into the lobby of the dorm. I carried my stuff with me until I came to a long table that you were supposed to register at. I went to the 'S' section.

"Bella Swan." I said and got a stare down from a slightly older boy with a clipboard.

He flipped through some paper and his eyebrow rose into his blonde hair, "I have an _Isabella _Swan."

"That's me, but I like Bella."

"Whatever." He checked my name off and then handed me a packet, "Orientation is over the next three days, classes start next week. You don't have a roommate because you fortunately lucked out. Your room is 913."

"Thanks." I took the packet and made sure I had my room key before rolling my stuff to the elevators.

I shoved everything inside and pressed the button to the ninth floor. On the way up, I stood next to a boy and his mom. He kept looking at me over the box he was carrying and was making me very uncomfortable. I stared back at him with hard eyes so he got the point that I was in no mood to speak to him.

He cowered back into the corner, shrinking behind his mother. He got off on the fifth floor and I had the elevator to myself the rest of the ride up.

The bell dinged and I pushed my stuff into the hallway, causing it to topple over. I laboriously pulled it all back up and was breathing pretty harshly by the time I was able to pull everything down the hall.

_910_

_911_

_912_

_913..._

I put the key in the lock and twisted it so that the door opened to my room.

It was pretty minimal but fairly nice as far as dorm rooms go. There was a nice sized bed up against the small window, a bedside table, dresser and like whats-his-name said downstairs, I didn't have a roommate so that was good I guess. I had a private bathroom and a closet that was just an indention in the wall, not that I had many clothes to put in there. The room was actually spacious and I was happy with it.

"Time to get to work." I threw my suitcases on the bed and began unpacking.

As soon as I unzipped my first bag, there was a rapid knock on the door and my mind raced to think about who it could be. I didn't know anyone.

I went to open the door and was attacked by a small, whirling dervish with spiky black hair.

"Hi, I'm Alice. You must be Bella. I stole the room list for this floor." She held up a folded piece of paper, "I don't even live here but my friend does and I heard you come in. I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm Alice."

I didn't know what to say so just nodded in response.

She was dressed head to toe in labels and was actually shorter than me.

"Wow, you don't have a roommate? You're lucky." She pushed herself into my room without another thought and looked around, "Do you need help unpacking. I'm bored."

Within the next hour, I truly met Alice Brandon.

She never stopped talking and took it upon herself to unpack my things because she said that she needed to see if my clothes were acceptable. Needless to say, she was less than impressed. She almost threw everything out but I wouldn't let her. I had to have something to wear. She started to make a list of things we needed before school started.

"I can't afford to buy a whole new wardrobe Alice." I said as I put sheets on my bed.

"That's okay, my stupid butt cousin works at Macy's. She gets major discounts."

"Really?" I asked, trying to make the conversation about anything but clothes.

"She sure does. Her name's Cynthia. I don't see her much since she lives in LA but she still lets me use her employee card. That's where we're going shopping."

"But do I really need anything new?"

"Have you seen your shoe collection?"

I had to admit that my supply was pathetic but I liked my shoes. They were things I could walk in and comfortable. I just let her keep talking.

I learned that Alice was twenty-one and a junior who had her own apartment somewhere on the other side of campus. Her dad was in business or something like that and was from California. She was single and ready to mingle as she put it. She took me on as her social experiment because she said that I needed help. Alice was happy, fun and genuinely nice so I took to her well although her personality kind of outshined me. Surprisingly, she made me laugh and I didn't get annoyed by her.

We got all my things unpacked for the rest of the day and I didn't have that much so we just talked mostly. We decided to take a break and ordered pizza for dinner, which I offered to pay half for but she waved me off.

We sat on the floor and discussed ourselves, trying to better know each other. I found that I really liked Alice. She was smart and witty while still having a juvenile charm about her that was refreshing. She wasn't like the stuffy, rich kid I thought she would be. She actually made me feel welcome.

"So, why Northwestern?" She asked as we sat on the floor, eating our pizza.

"I could ask the same about you." I grinned, avoiding the question.

"My mother used to be a professor here so I practically walked in. I love this city anyway. How old are you by the way."

"Uh...seventeen but I'll be eighteen soon."

"I could have sworn that you were older. You're so mature."

I shrugged, "I've always been kind of old."

"Well, I'm glad you're here. I can tell that we're going to be great friends." She reached over to hug me tightly and I just held on.

Thus, my new life at Northwestern began.

* * *

**HOLY SWEET BELLA BATMAN**

**So there you have it. Nothing special, just Bella's introduction chapter. Like I said, not every chapter will be as amazing or dramatic as the first. I have to set some things out first before the story gets started and set up some character profiles. **

**My Bella, in this story will kind of be like 'Twilight' Bella but a little bit stronger. I think she'll have to be if she's hanging around the mob but she'll have her annoying, emotional moments as well so just stick with the poor girl. Her world is about to get turned upside down.**

**Hope you all enjoyed. I might post another chapter tonight if you guys want me to. It's already wrtten and I can edit it quickly if the reviews want me to. Tell me what you think of the story so far. **

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	4. Chapter 3

Gangs of Chicago

EDWARD POV

"_Who has fully realized that history is not contained in thick books but lives in our very blood?__"- __Carl Jung_

All Twilight related things belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I circled Emmett once, twice, three times before I lunged, taking him down with me. We hit the mat with a thud that echoed off of the walls in the health club.

Jasper was lifting weights on the other side of the room while other people milled around, not really working out. The only thing that mattered right now was Emmett, under my forearm.

He quickly threw me off of him and I rolled over before hopping back up.

"You're getting old Emmett." I played with him, knowing it would piss him off.

"Shut up and fight." He threw himself at me, taking me down by the waist as he laid punch after punch on my body. Since I had my shirt off, my skin was the only thing absorbing the blows.

We Cullen men had a strict regiment when it came to working out partly because we needed to stay in shape but also because we had so much pent up testosterone, it was kind of a necessity.

"Come on Eddie, pick up the pace." Emmett taunted me as he laid his fists into my chest.

I lifted my legs up and wrapped them around his neck before pulling him down to my level. He let out an animalistic grunt and I flipped us over so that I was pinning him down.

"Hey, cavemen! I'm hungry." Jasper tried to pull me off of Emmett but I wasn't letting go easily. I took a couple of rough tugs before I got up, breathing heavily and wiping the blood from my lip.

"Just give me five more minutes with you." Emmett spoke as he got off of the floor.

"You two always take it too far. Look at this." Jasper hit my chest where a huge, purple bruise was developing.

"What can I say? I fight to win." I shrugged as my breathing calmed down.

"That was a good workout." Emmett held out his hand and I shook before he wrapped his huge arm around my neck in a choke hold.

Jasper eventually gave up, throwing his hands in the air and walked off to get his bag. Once Emmett let me go, I followed. I put on my shirt and we sauntered out of the gym.

"I think Dad wants us at the house." I said as I read through the text messages on my phone.

"Now?" Emmett groaned.

"You don't have anything better to do."

"I do so. Rosie and I were going to the lake. I guess we'll have to reschedule."

"What is with you? How can you have one woman?" I asked, really wanting to know because it all seemed so out of bounds for me.

"She's what I want. It's not that hard Eddie. Just look at Mom and Dad." He explained, "They've been together forever."

"Yeah but Dad's always been a little soft." I said.

"I'm not soft." Emmett defended himself, "I just don't see the need to run around town, trying to get pussy on every corner. Rose is more than enough for me."

"If you say she completes you, I'm taking away your man card." I laughed.

"It's true. I've never felt this way with any girl…ever and you know I've been through hundreds. I've tried relationships before but this is different. I think she's the one." He said and even I could see the light in his eyes. It made me sick.

"I hope I never have to hear those words coming from your mouth again." Jasper shivered.

"You'll both know what I'm talking about soon." Emmett threw his arms over both of us as we approached the parking lot, "I can feel it. I need to get my brothers respectable women."

"I like my life." I pushed him off of me, "I don't need a respectable woman."

"I hear that." Jasper gave me a high five and we climbed into one of Dad's cars that we just happened to pluck out of the garage. He had the most extensive collection I had ever seen so it wasn't any skin off of his nose if we took some of them for a joy ride sometimes.

"Do we have time to go to the penthouse and shower?" I asked as I sat in the back. Jasper drove and Emmett just fucked with the radio.

"No, we can just do it when we get to the house. We have to drop the car off anyway."

Jasper pulled out of the parking lot and sped down the crowded, late afternoon highways of Chicago. We passed all the colleges and universities that all the rich kids attended and I huffed a little sigh of annoyance or maybe it was jealousy.

I had never really had the opportunity to be a kid or a regular college student for that matter. From the time I learned about this life when I was about ten, I knew that organized crime was what I wanted to do. From then on, my life was kind of fast tracked and I never slowed down to just be…normal? I guess that's the best word to use for it.

In college, I didn't really party or do anything fun. That was Jasper and Emmett's domains. I was more focused on getting out of school so that I could get back to life behind my father. I didn't have time to waste away with frats and drinking games. That wasn't to say that I didn't have my share of fun while in school but it wasn't an everyday type thing.

I was more like my father in that way. I was more business when it called for it and even in a "laid back" atmosphere, I was always tense. I didn't like showing people outside of the family that I could laugh or had emotions. It made me seem weak in my eyes so I stayed cold and hard.

The only time I did appear to be some form of a human was when I tried to pick up girls. I knew the affect I had on women. My bright green eyes, my bronze hair, sculpted body, angular face; it was all like a magnet for anything with a vagina. I wasn't being cocky but I'm just pointing out facts. I usually didn't have to do anything if I went into a club or bar. I let the women come to me and then, with one crocked smile or hand-to-thigh contact, I was in. The rest of my night would be filled with fun sex and adventurous pillow talk.

I didn't have the energy to actually spend any time with women other than the instances I was fucking them because I had better things to do. I didn't want anything like what Emmett had with Rosalie because that just seemed like too much work. Plus, I was one who always had to be in control and I wasn't going to be run by some little bitch who thought she could change me. That wasn't how I worked.

It wasn't that I didn't know how to do romance but what was the point? I didn't want any girls sticking around long enough for that. I was a gentleman when it came to women so I guess I did have some kind of soft side to me but I hated showing it. I just couldn't get my mother's teachings out of my head.

_Hold the door for a lady._

_Pull out her chair._

_Never use curse words._

Blah, blah, blah.

"Edward, are you listening to me?" Jasper shouted.

"Do I ever?"I replied sarcastically.

He just glared at me in the rear view mirror.

"Okay, what do you want?"

"I was saying that Vienna is going to be at Ma's dinner on Saturday."

"Shit." I said furiously, "Why?"

"Because, Dad says we have some business to deal with and the Volturis have been invited to dinner." Emmett rolled his eyes.

The Volturis were so insufferable, it wasn't even funny.

Another crime family who always tried to upstage us, they were from old money and Greek I think although I have to admit that I never really paid any attention to their family history. Our two families have been fighting since the dawn of time even though we've always been semi-cordial, especially now in a time when you couldn't just kill on the street without police breathing down your neck.

Aro Volturi was the head and just like Carlisle, he was calm and cool on the outside with a hint of frightening fire beneath. He was terrifying to anyone who crossed him but his face never contorted into anything more than a scowl. Come to think of it, I had never seen him get angry.

The Volturi bloodline was thick with evil and horrible dealings in some of history's most diabolical situations. I think the great, grandfather had something to do with Nazis and then the grandfather was in Columbia for awhile back in the sixties, dealing with the overthrow of the government. Their history was almost as bad as ours but somehow, we came out on top on many things.

The Cullen's had more money, more prestige, more fearing followers and more greatness in general. For that, the Volturi's hated us but like I said, we were always cordial. Once their family moved to Chicago in the late seventies, we were suddenly dealing with them encroaching on our territory and that was unacceptable. At that point, a young Carlisle was in command and made it perfectly clear that Aro wasn't necessarily welcome. We were like rivaling gangs of Chicago, tearing up the streets and steeping on each other's toes. Our relationship had been tense ever since.

Aro and his wife had three children; Demetri, Felix and Heidi, all of whom were the most infuriating bunch of humans alive but they were nothing compared to their cousin Vienna.

One time, I fucked her one time maybe five years ago and now she thought that we were in some kind of relationship. She clung to me every chance she got and whenever we got together, she made it a point to have me in her eyesight at all times. I usually just hung out in the office or library whenever I knew she was coming over to my parent's house for dinner.

I banged my head against the window and Jasper drove through the less crowded, rich suburbs of Chicago.

The houses suddenly turned into trees and rolling hills of green grass as we neared the house, which looked more like a castle but Esme never did anything half way when it came to decorating. She had her own design firm in the city so she was pretty well known and her house was nothing to scoff at.

On a concealed path, behind trees and brush, the road up to the residence appeared. It was nothing special from the street but once you got past the small thicket of forest, a sprawling estate presented itself like the fucking White House.

Esme designed, built and decorated the whole thing herself. It was a massive undertaking that took over five years to complete but it was home. This was the house I grew up in and no matter how many apartments or townhouses I owned; this place would always be my favorite for the simple fact that I remember it the most. This was also the place where Carlisle ran everything from so it wasn't all peaches and roses.

The granite stone of the driveway was mirrored in the façade of the house that had three floors and God knows how many rooms. I don't even think I had ever counted. Everything inside was modern while still having that old world, Victorian flair that my mother was so famous for.

There were hundreds of acres of land behind the house that stretched for miles and as a kid, I remember running through the trees without a care in the world. As an adult, I remember the forests as a place where shooting practice took place or where I had my first joint when I was twelve. A whole different world emerged out there when the sun set. Darkness brought evil.

Of course, being in the business that we were in, security was everywhere. My father basically hired his own outfit of guards, snipers, attack dogs, everything for his family's protection. There had been more than one occasion when they were needed but thankfully, we hadn't had any casualties in a very long time all thanks to my father's obsessive need to keep his family safe. He knew what he was doing.

Esme was waiting for us on the front steps of the house when we pulled up into the circular driveway.

"I wonder what we did now." Jasper turned off the car, "She looks pissed."

We all got out of the car with our bags and walked casually up to the door.

"What took you boys so long?" She had an apron wrapped around her waist and even though she was probably cooking, she was in heels that were too high and a skirt that was too professional.

"We were working out. Did we do well?" Emmett flexed.

"I told you to be home an hour ago. We're having company." She pushed us inside.

"Who? I thought it was just us for dinner?" I asked.

"The Volturis have to go out of the country on Saturday so I invited them over for dinner tonight."

I spun around quickly, "They're coming tonight?"

"Yes, is there a problem with that?"Esme had her hands on her hips and a face that was scary.

"You know how he gets with Vienna." Jasper said.

"Well you two will just have to get over that. I expect you boys to be polite as usual."

"How long do I have to prepare myself for the massive amount of hell that you just poured on me?" I set my bag down.

"Don't use that language and they'll be here in about an hour. Rose is helping me cook and you boys should be dressed soon. Move." She pointed to the steps and like we were in an army, we climbed the stairs to our old rooms.

They were basically the same as we left them when we went off to college. None of us lived in the house anymore but it was always nice to have a place to call home. My penthouse was just a place for me to stay, not really a home but I guess I could look at it the other way and say that I had the ultimate bachelor pad, which was fine with me.

I climbed the gigantic stairs to the second floor where my area was. On the way, I passed the expensive artwork, large family portraits, hanging curtains and walked on fancy rugs. Esme didn't like anything done halfway so her house was no exception. It would have put anything a Vanderbilt owned to shame.

Esme's work had been featured in so many magazines, she pretty much could do what she wanted in terms of remodels of rich housewives' homes.

"Hurry up." Rosalie shouted from the first floor and I scurried my way to the shower after peeling off my clothes.

I took a good shower, shaved and washed my hair before wrapping a towel around my waist, heading to my closet.

My room was big and looked just like I remember it from growing up. The pictures on the walls and bed sheets had changed but that was about it. Unlike Jasper and Emmett, I was a minimalist and didn't need posters or overstuffed chairs. A bed, TV, a couple books; that was all I needed.

I went into the closet and saw my clothes hanging in a perfect line along the wall. All my suits, shirts, belts, ties, and shoes were organized like they had never been touched and I had to remind myself to thank Esme later. Even though we didn't live with her, she took it upon herself to keep our things neat.

I pulled on boxers and then fingered through my pants selection until I found a pair of navy blue Armani slacks that would be perfect for dinner. I knew how to dress thanks to Esme and I knew what looked nice on me thanks to women who appraised my appearance. I just chose a crisp, white button down and rolled the sleeves up to my elbows. I put a black belt and black loafers that would complete my look.

I went into the bathroom and tried to do something with my hair, which had a mind of its own. It would stay set for a couple of minutes but as the night went on, I knew it would be all over the place. I had a nasty habit of running my hands through it so I had no one to blame but me.

Usually, dinner at the Cullen's wasn't an everyday thing and was more laid back than this but when we had company, Esme expected us to be at our best.

I walked down the steps and was the first one ready.

Esme and Rose were flitting around the massive kitchen, trying to get dinner ready while I sat at the counter drinking a beer.

"You know, you could get off your ass and help." Rose glared at me.

"I don't cook." I replied simply.

"He'll burn the house down." Esme giggled, "I still remember when you tried to make French toast and you poured syrup on a loaf of bread."

"I was seven." I muttered under my breath and almost laughed at the memory. It would have been funny if everyone would stop bringing it up.

"It's okay dear. We all can't be excellent cooks like me." Esme pulled out a superior looking pot roast from the oven that was almost as big as my whole body.

She was right. I didn't cook and the fridge in my apartment was basically naked, void of any nutrition. I eat take out if I did eat but most of the time, I went days without anything substantial when work got in the way.

"I don't know why you just don't pay attention." Rose stood at the stove and basted some potatoes, "I could educate you if you would just ask for my help."

"I've tried cooking but it doesn't work for me."

"Maybe you can find someone who can teach you." My mother said with a slight glint in her eye.

"Meaning?" I urged her on because I knew it was coming.

She shrugged, "I'm just saying. You're twenty-five and I know that's young but I want you to settle down. Find someone nice who makes you smile."

"I have you." I gave her my charming voice and she melted.

"You're too sweet but I want grandbabies." She pointed at me and I pointed at Rosalie.

"I don't think so. I don't want kids for at least ten years." She held her hands up, "That's not my thing right now."

"Well me either." I shuddered. I hated kids and my mother knew it. Her best bet for grandchildren was Rose and Emmett because I wasn't ever dipping my toe into that lake. Jasper wasn't either.

"Well, someone needs to get pregnant in here." Esme said and then crossed herself, "Forgive me for that." She spoke to the heavens. Rose and I just rolled our eyes and kept on ignoring my mother's religious antics. She wasn't too pious, none of us were but she tried the most to live by some kind of moral code.

"T-minus half an hour." My father laughed as he glided into the kitchen, regal as ever in his smart, black, suit. He made a beeline straight for Esme and they had their moment, not caring that I was in the room.

I made a fake gagging noise to get their attention.

"This isn't high school Edward." Carlisle said when he pulled away, "You want to know where you were conceived? Right here on this counter." He ran his hand along the marble where I was sitting.

"You two are sick." I felt my face screw up.

"What's going on folks?" Emmett grandly entered the kitchen in a God awful, white suit and pink shirt. He looked like something out of Miami Vice.

"Really, sweetheart?" Esme chastised, "You couldn't find something better suited for tonight?"

"You look like a pimp." Jasper laughed when he came into the kitchen.

"No, I like it." Emmett did a spin to show himself off.

Rose wiped her hands on a dishtowel and didn't even say anything as she pulled Emmett out of the kitchen. He grumbled under his breath but didn't make remarks.

The next half hour was spent in frenzied preparation for the Volturi arrival. My mother didn't like housekeepers or cooks, claiming she could do it all herself so she was working the hardest. Emmett, who had been re-dressed in something more appropriate, and I just set the table. Esme redid it after we were done. Jasper, the only one of us who could cook, made some side dishes.

By the time the gate bell rang, I was on pins and needles. Vienna brought out the worst in me.

Emmett, Jasper and I had guns in belts and I suspected that Demetri and Felix had the same. Just in case of course. Aro and my father were always talking about something whether it was business related or not but it could tend to get on the rough side when their two heads butted together.

All six of us stood in the foyer, waiting for Aro and his family to get out of the cars. Carlisle and Esme went out on the steps to greet them and even from the window, I could see Vienna's long legs that started at her chin. I hated to fact that my body reacted to the sight but I had to admit, she was hot… just crazy.

"It's nice to see you again Carlisle." I heard Aro's voice through the open door. His sound matched his look. Slightly cold, ashen, ancient and stern while having an undertone of evil.

"You too Aro, it's been too long. I should call more often." My father replied, coolly as usual.

Rose, Emmett, Jasper and I looked at each other with skeptical eyes. We knew that would never happen.

They talked on the steps, making polite conversation until they came inside. Aro's wife, Athenadora was a kind and gentle woman; similar to Esme who liked to dote on her sons more than necessary. Felix and Demetri came in with their suits on and guns clearly shown. Jasper, Emmett, and I stood up a little straighter to show them whose house this was.

They were both big and muscular kind of like Emmett but had nowhere near the amount of mass he had. They resembled almost exactly their father with their deep eyes that looked almost black and short, cropped, dark hair. They stood about my height, which was pretty tall but I wasn't intimidated by them. I never had been.

Heidi was looking as hot as ever and was Rose's main competition through all of this. Rose hated to be upstaged in anything, especially beauty and Heidi was giving her a run for her money, in a red dress to show off her ample amount of cleavage and lots of skin. And then of course, Vienna was there to give me a bright smile.

"Edward, I've missed you." She jumped and wrapped her arms around me, holding tightly to my neck.

She had long, flowing blonde hair and a cherub-like face, making her look like a Botticelli angel. She had curves in all the right places and slender everywhere else. I tried not to think of the warmth of her pussy but was failing miserably. If she wasn't so screwed up in the head, maybe we could help each other out in the sexual frustration department.

"You too Vienna. I hope you're doing well." I spoke professionally so that she would know to keep her distance.

"We should hang out more now that I'm back in the city. Are you still staying in the penthouse?" She looped her arm around mine as we walked towards the dining room.

"Yes." I said, not really wanting to give her too much information.

Maybe it was the Gods trying to punish me for my sins but I was seated next to Vienna who was more than happy when I pulled out her chair for her to sit.

The talk around dinner was normal and strained, intertwined with short snippets of mob business but Esme shut that down as soon as it arose.

A wonderful dinner was had and I was actually surprised that no one had blown each other's brains out yet. For the most part, it was a nice affair with good wine and delicious food. Everyone laughed as Aro told old stories about Carlisle and in their heyday.

As a huge desert of chocolate cake was passed around, I felt a small hand shoot directly to my crotch. I dropped my fork with a loud clang and all eyes turned to me.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" Esme asked with a concerned face.

"Yes." I squeaked out and smiled.

I hit Vienna's hand away but she was already a little happier than I wanted. My dick wasn't listening to my thoughts and shot straight up in my pants due to the fact that it was getting some attention.

"Don't fight me Edward." Vienna whispered with a snippet of lust in her voice as her hand went back in between my legs.

_Fuck it!_

I let her jack me off under the table while our families finished dinner.

* * *

**HOLY NASTY EDWARD AND VIENNA UNDER THE TABLE BATMAN**

**EDWARD IS JUST GETTING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM THAT IDEAL GUY ISN'T HE? HE JUST CAN'T HELP HIMSELF. POOR GUY. I WONDER WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN HE MEETS BELLA? SPARKS? N SPARKS? THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME!**

**A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT LAST CHAPTER...**

**ALICE AND EDWARD AREN'T RELATED IN THIS STORY. ALICE DOESN'T KNOW THE CULLENS SO IT'S ONLY HER AND BELLA AS FRIENDS. ALICE'S FRIEND THAT LIVES IN BELLA'S DORM IS UNIMPORTANT. DON'T STRESS OVER THAT. **

**THIS CHAPTER WAS JUST A THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS ALREADY BUT I WILL NORMALLY POST EVERY TEUSDAY AND FRIDAY. TEUSDAY AND FRIDAY! I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SAY IT AGAIN.**

**ANYWAY, THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND I PROMISE TO KEEP WRITING. **

**NEXT WEEK...BELLA AND EDWARD MEET. I'M SO EXCITED. **

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW **


	5. Chapter 4

Plasma and Transfusions

BELLA POV

"_Nothing changes without blood flowing.__"-__Tom Metzger_

* * *

A sharp knock on my bedroom door jolted me awake like an eighteen wheeler blasting through my head.

"Bella, time to wake up!" I heard Alice's voice on the other side of the door but I wasn't planning on waking up. The clock next to my bed flashed seven a.m.

"Go away, Alice. I'm trying to sleep." I shouted.

"I will start screaming in this hallway and waked everyone up. They'll be really mad at you."

"Go ahead. I don't care." I rolled over and put the pillow on top of my head.

"Bella..." She whined.

"Why are you waking me up so early? It's only seven."

"It's your birthday. You can't sleep in all day."

"Yes I can."

Yes, today was my eighteenth birthday but I in no way wanted to celebrate it. There was no reason to really. It was a milestone I guess but my mother had been screaming her praises over the phone for the past three days so I was all tired out.

There was a swift movement and the door flew open. I peeked over my pillow to see a very commanding Alice standing with her hands on her hips and a pout like a bulldog.

"How the hell did you get in my room?" I sat up, wiping the sleep out of my eyes.

"I made friends with the RA." She flashed a key at me before putting it in her purse.

"Go away!" I laid back down.

She jumped on the bed, causing it to shake vigorously.

"Happy birthday Bella! Wakey, wakey!"

"Okay, okay. Just get off of me." I groaned.

Over the past three days, I had found that Alice was a morning person. Correction, Alice was an all day person but the early morning provided her with renewed energy so she was super hyper until around lunch when the liveliness began to wane although it never truly ran out.

School didn't start until Monday and it was now Saturday, so Alice and I had some time to relax after the crazy orientation we just finished, which was interesting to say the least.

I had found that there were a lot of people in the same boat as me who didn't know what they wanted to do with their lives but unlike me, they had an unlimited amount of money and time to figure it out. I was thinking maybe something in the business filed, which didn't particularly interest me but Northwestern was known for their business school so I was planning on taking full advantage of the curriculum.

Alice was a really nice person, genuinely nice and I was surprised at how well we meshed together. She had claimed me as her best friend about an hour after we met. I was still putting off her shopping trip of torture but she was hinting at it.

I called Charlie a couple times since being here and could tell from the tone of his voice that he had been living off of pizza since I left. I tried to tell him to eat more vegetables but he was being stubborn and said he was fine.

I got my classes set up, met lots of new people but most of my time was spent with Alice who had made it her personal responsibility to show me around Chicago.

"Come one Bella. I bought you a gift." Alice bounded up and down.

"Just give it to me." I sat up so I didn't have to subject my stomach to more pounding.

"Okay, are you ready?" She held up her hands to build suspense, "It's a shopping trip. Aren't you excited?"

"Yay." I replied sarcastically with an eye roll.

Her face fell into a hard line and she went to where I kept my clothes in the drawer, "Do you see this?" She started pulling stuff out, "All you have in here is jeans and tee shirts."

"Why are you so convinced that I don't know how to dress?" I got out of bed, snatching my clothes from her and putting them back where they belonged.

"I'm trying to help you Bella. How do you expect to get a boyfriend?"

"I don't want a boyfriend."

"Well tonight, we're going out and you're going to look hot." Alice sat back on my bed.

"I'm not going out. I have to get ready for school."

"School starts in two days. Tonight, we're partying. There's this club downtown called Plasma and it's so cool. Tonight is their glow-in-the-dark night and we can wear all white so the lights will reflect and..."

"Alice, Alice. Calm down." I put my hands on her shoulder, "I'm not going to any club. I'm only eighteen and I don't like places like that."

"I can get you in, you don't have to drink and you have to let some steam out before school starts. Come on." She got on her knees and begged, "I can't go alone."

"You have other friends."

"But they're lame. I like you better. Come on. I promise I'll make you look super beautiful. The guys won't be able to keep their hands off of you."

"I don't want guys looking at me. I'm trying to stay focused on school."

"But school doesn't start 'til Monday." She pouted.

"Alice, I said no."

It took another hour of convincing but my willpower wasn't as strong as hers. She was persistent and chipped away at my mental wall until it crumbled completely. I was done after she threatened to throw me a party tomorrow and invite people I didn't know from my dorm. She didn't even live with me but I felt like she was my extra appendage that just happened to always be hanging around. To be honest though, I didn't mind.

"Okay, so we can go to the Magnificent Mile and buy everything we see. You're going to look so pretty." Alice said as she ran around my room.

I put on some jeans, a shirt and some comfortable shoes because I knew there would be a significant amount of walking today.

"Alice, lets remind ourselves that I have no money."

"Why do you think I'm here?" She said, actually offended, "I'm going to make you look stunning."

"I am in your hands maestro." I gave up, not having the energy to fight anymore.

"Good and I don't want to hear any complaining."

"Just as long as I can walk tomorrow and nothing trashy."

"We'll see. I haven't figured out what shoes you're going to wear yet but I'm thinking about it."

The rest of the morning was spent with Alice brainstorming and it was the first time that I hadn't heard her voice since meeting her. It was weird. I just sat on my bed, reviewing my schedule and made sure that I had all the right books.

At nine, Alice decided to give me a reprieve and we went to the dining hall downstairs to eat. After I was stuffed on bagels and cereal, Alice forced me out of the door and into the sweltering Chicago heat.

"Okay, so first we'll get the dress. I have a perfect one for you and you're skinny enough to pull it off."

"What about you? You need something to wear." I would have done anything for her to stop talking about what I was going to be wearing tonight.

"Bella, I've been prepared to go out since I was born. Don't you worry about me." She gave me an evil grin.

I sighed and prepared for my long day ahead. If nothing else, I could at least learn the streets of Chicago because I figured I should know my home pretty well.

We took a cab downtown to Rush Street and Alice talked to the driver the whole way there. She was saying something about her love for the color red but I wasn't paying attention and it looked like he wasn't either. He dropped us off after a ten minute cab ride that seemed longer and Alice nearly pulled me onto the sidewalk.

"Alice, calm down. I'm sure we'll have enough time to do all we need to do."

"I hope you brought a granola bar like I told you. We won't be stopping for lunch."

"I thought you were joking."

"I don't joke when it comes to fashion."

I soon found out that she wasn't kidding.

The whole day, I didn't have time to catch a break. It was almost like Chicago had just experienced its first hurricane. The Magnificent Mile was filled with label shops that I only thought existed in movies and Alice walked in like she had designed them.

I tried on so many dresses, my skin started to break out in figurative hives. I would itch whenever I saw Alice bringing another one from across the floor. I didn't know about this club Plasma since I just moved here but once Alice mentioned it to the sales associate, she jumped at the opportunity to get me a hot outfit.

The more dresses I tried on, the more nervous I became. What did I look like? The small town girl who had barely been out of Washington State, going to a club? It just didn't fit right in my head but on some level I was excited. I needed to get out there more and stop being so introverted. Maybe that was why I liked Alice so much. I admired her for being so...Alice.

She was bubbly and bright but still incredibly smart. She was a heightened version of someone I would want to be. Someone who wasn't so shy or nervous around people. It wasn't that I had a social disorder or anything, it was just that people didn't seem to like me right off the bat. That was probably why I didn't have many friends. Unless you knew me, you wouldn't get my humor or sarcasm. I would appear biting and my attitude could be said to be callus but that wasn't me. I was a nice girl, just guarded.

I wasn't gothic or depressed although a lot of people thought I was. Just because I didn't smile all the time didn't mean I was mad and I hated when everyone said that.

As I stood in front of the mirror in some department store with a skin tight dress on my body, I made a promise to myself to take this all in stride. If I was going to grow older and mature, I had to step up. I needed to start getting out of my shell. Nothing drastic but baby steps would do, starting with tonight.

"What about this one?" Alice asked, circling me.

"I thought you already had a dress picked out for me?" I looked down at my body.

"Yeah but I decided to change my mind." She smacked her palm to her forehead, "Think Alice, think."

"I don't want to be a stand out, Alice." I said quickly, totally forgetting my promise.

_Baby steps!_

"Let me think Bella." She pointed at me, "I'm busy."

Just like she promised, we didn't stop for lunch or a break for that matter and it was my first exposure to Alice's true nature. The beast within if you will.

She was a force to be reckoned with and I decided to stay out of her way as she shopped. Thankfully, she decided to get a new outfit for herself so the day wasn't spent just focusing on me. I got a chance to sit down as she tried things on but my input was needed as she said.

Finally, we left the Magnificent Mile in a cab at seven that night when things started to close. I was already tired.

"I can't believe you're only eighteen." Alice said as we sat in the back of the car.

"I know. It's weird." I shuddered, "I can vote now."

"And buy cigarettes and lottery tickets and porn..."

"I don't think I'll be getting any of those things any time soon."

"You never know. I might get you a vibrator. You look tense."

"Alice." I shoved her harshly and nodded towards the driver who was looking at us strangely in the mirror. She just shrugged.

"Can I get something to eat?" I pleaded.

"We're going out for dinner. It's your birthday for Christ's sake. We're having a night in Chi Town." She threw her hands in the air.

"Great." I muttered, trying to actually be happy about this and on some level, I was. I needed to loosen up.

We made it back to my dorm just as the sun was about to set over the cityscape. Alice rushed me up the stairs without even giving me a chance to breathe. Originally, she had planned a dinner somewhere for me, just us but now, we didn't have the time since she said I took too long to shop.

_Yeah right!_

She ordered another pizza so that we wouldn't stop while she was getting me ready. I was pushed into the shower and when I came out with a towel wrapped around my waist, the pizza was already on my bed. I grabbed a slice before she began her torture. Everything was happening so fast, I didn't have time to get nervous.

"Don't you have to get dressed?" I asked as I sat in my bathroom. Alice was teasing and pulling my hair like I was some kind of rag doll.

"No...well yes but I can throw something on and look fabulous. You just need a little more time."

"Thanks, Alice. That's so nice of you." I replied acerbically as my head jerked back from her hair styling.

"Geez, Bella. When was the last time you did your hair?"

"I do it every morning." I retaliated.

"I mean actually run a brush through it. Not put it up in a ponytail."

"Shut up. I do what I can." I snapped.

"Well obviously not. It's like I'm pulling through tumbleweed." I glared at her in the mirror when she said that, "Don't look at me that way."

She struggled and pulled until my hair looked somewhat presentable. It was left straight mainly but the big curls at the bottom where basically down my back. I was still in my towel so I didn't get the full affect of my new hair but Alice seemed please. She dusted my face with something and had me close my eyes to apply mascara. At this point, I was just letting her go to town.

"I'm too tired to go out now." I grumbled as she pulled me back into the room.

"Shut it. I don't want to hear a thing. This is your birthday. You're going out." She said authoritatively, "Besides, no one will go with me."

"Because you're crazy?"

"No, because I'm too much fun for them." She stuck her tongue out.

"But I can't even drink or get in for that matter."

"I can get you in and as far as drinking, the bartenders will be staring at your chest the whole time so they won't card you or you could meet a hot guy and ask him to buy you stuff."

"I'm a cop's daughter who just got to Chicago four days ago. I can't get arrested."

"You won't. Stop complaining and trying to weasel out of this." She dug through my drawers before throwing me a pair of panties, "Put those on."

"But I need a bra." I said pathetically. I was modestly curvy but mostly flat or so I thought. Alice seemed to think that I was well endowed but I was nothing special in my eyes.

"No you don't."

"Not even a strapless one?"

"Absolutely not. If you want to drink then you're going have to show off the girls."

It wasn't that I wanted to drink but I needed something to relax and maybe tonight would be a good de-stresser before school started.

I huffed to myself and slid my panties on under the towel before it was ripped from my body by small pixie hands. I covered myself up.

"Stop being so shy? How do you expect to get laid if you act like that? Are you a virgin?" Her eyes got wide.

"No! Give me something to put on." I commanded.

"So you're not a virgin?"

"I said no."

"Just checking. I wouldn't want your first time to be with some drunk who doesn't know his name."

"I'm not having sex tonight. Maybe a few drinks but that's it." I went to pull my dress out of the bag since Alice wasn't moving her tiny ass.

"You'll look so hot in that." Alice sat on the bed and waited for me to put on my clothing.

I quickly pulled the dress up, over my legs until it covered my torso but that was about all it covered. The small piece of white fabric stopped just below my ass and was a long way up my thighs. If I bent over, I could feel the breeze up my crack and I was desperately trying to pull it down to get myself some coverage. The only problem was my chest would be exposed.

_What's more important? Chest or ass? _

I figured my butt looked better than up top so I just hiked the skirt up to cover my pathetic excuse for breasts.

The dress itself would have been nice if I wasn't hanging out of it. It was small, that much was certain but it was also very sexy in a non-slut type of way. It was completely white, strapless and had a sweetheart neckline that dipped low before running along the curves of my chest. The lining of the dress was embellished with a thin strand of crystals that detailed the neckline and then the sides. The whole thing was tight on my body but wasn't sucking the breath out of me.

"Damn..." Alice circled me, "Who gave you your legs?"

"Uh...my mom." I said confused.

"I was joking Bella. Why are you so serious all the time?" She giggled.

"I'm not. I knew you were kidding."

She rolled her eyes and dug through the bag for shoes.

"I told you I wasn't wearing those." I moved away from her as she pushed a pair of fucking five inch heels on me.

"I know you can walk in them. I'll hold you the whole night."

"No!"

"Bella, I swear, I will tie you down." She got a look of pure death on her face.

"I can't walk regularly in flats." I argued.

"I know but every girl walks better in heels." She said like it was common knowledge.

"How does that make sense?"

"You have to concentrate more in them. They work on your balance and they force you to watch your step."

"Damn it." I whispered to myself and snatched them out of her hand before I slipped them on. I stabilized myself in my new height but unfortunately, I was still shorter than most even in five inches. It was sad. At least Alice would be shorter than me.

The pumps were very high and black, causing my legs to look even longer than they already were for which I was thankful. They had a small peep toe and I was praying that Alice held onto me because I could already smell disaster.

"Azzaro dress, Sergio Rossi heels." She nodded to herself, "I think you're ready."

"I better get frickin' wasted for all of this effort." I mumbled.

An hour later, I was clinging to Alice as she pulled me out of the door and into the cab that was waiting for us. She told him the name of the club and he sped off through the very busy, late night streets. She was dressed in a skirt and top that was worse than what I had on. Suddenly, I didn't feel so bad about my whore outfit.

My leg was bouncing in my shoes, trying to calm myself down. What if I got arrested for this shit?

Apparently, Plasma was the hottest, most exclusive club in Chicago and catered to the upper crust of people who wanted to have classy fun as Alice put it. It wasn't one of those trashy bars where your feet stuck to the floor. Smart businessmen and rich entrepreneurs gathered there to have a late night drink while enjoying the company of pretty woman.

_If nothing else, maybe I can find a rich sugar daddy. _

Ha. If only I could be a goldigger. Maybe I could repay Charlie.

As soon as we turned into downtown, near State Street, I could already hear the thumping music and deep bass of the club as it pulsed through the air.

"Finally, some fun." Alice threw her hands up in the cab as he pulled in front of a seemingly vacant warehouse looking building but from what I heard inside, it was nothing but pure joy in there. A long line was forming outside of the door that wrapped around the street and I immediately regretted coming here.

Alice paid the driver and we both hopped out of the cab. She pulled me to the front entrance confidently.

"Hi, I'm Alice Brandon and this is my friend Bella." She said with a smile to the bouncer. She curled her finger and he bent down to her level so that she could whisper in his ear. I didn't know what she said but it obviously worked.

He kept his arms crossed but moved aside like they were best friends. Alice just grinned at me and bounced through the entrance of the club.

Once we were inside, it was like a new world had opened up. Just like Alice had said, it was glow-in-the-dark night and mostly everyone was in white so that their clothing was stained a weird tint of blue or green. Even our teeth were reflecting the lights up above.

Plasma had three floors and about ten bars that were situated around the space. Skilled bartenders were flipping bottles and showing off while girls danced on guys in suits. It wasn't sleazy and I was actually starting to feel under dressed.

"Let's get a table in the corner." Alice shouted into my ear and pulled me through the crowds. I saw the glances we got from some of the half drunk men and it was kind of flattering. I stood up straighter and made sure I didn't fall on my ass.

Everyone almost parted as we made our way to a corner near a bar. Luckily, a group and just got up and left, leaving their table free. Alice scurried to get it and pushed someone out of the way but smiled proudly as she beckoned me over.

"Isn't this nice Bella? The first time I came here, I couldn't even believe it."

"I have to admit, this is kind of cool." I sat down next to her on a plush, red couch.

"Do you want something to drink?" She asked.

"I'll have whatever you're having." I spoke loudly so that she could hear me. She nodded and skipped off to the bar behind us.

I sat and waited for her to come back as I watched everyone. They all seemed to be young and having the time of their lives. Hands were in the air, feet never stayed still, the music flowed through your body and even I wanted to dance.

I let my gaze travel throughout the club and saw some guy looking at me. I quickly averted my eyesight and then looked back again after a couple of seconds. He was still starring from across the club with a wicked smirk that made me blush all over. He pushed himself off of the bar and sauntered over to me with an air of authority like he owned the place.

He had medium length, golden blonde hair that had different colors of wheat going through it. His eyes were a bright blue that shined even in the dark lights and I could tell that he was used to getting girls just by the way he was looking at me. He was built nicely, nicer than Mike who was the only one I had to compare him to and I could see the muscles of his chest underneath his very tailored suit. He was cute. No, he was hot but it wasn't like I was looking for anyone to fuck tonight.

With a final couple of steps, Mystery Man approached me and took a drag from his beer before holding out his hand.

"I noticed you were sitting alone. I'm Jasper, I own the club." I didn't know if he was lying or not but I decided not to question him on it.

"Bella." I shook his hand with a firm grasp and I was about to retracted my arm but he pulled it up to his lips for a sweet kiss on my knuckles.

_So cheesy!_

"May I sit?" He asked, not letting go of my hand.

"Sure. I'm with a friend but I don't think she'll mind." I scooted over for him and wrestled my hand back. He was starting to get less and less hot as he spoke more but he wasn't annoying me so far.

"So...I haven't seen your here before." He leaned in to speak in my ear, "I'm sure I would have remembered such a beautiful lady."

"No, I haven't been here before." I replied.

"How old are you?" He bobbed his head to the music.

"Twenty-one." It flew out of my mouth before I could stop it. I tried to sound as sure as possible.

_Where the hell was Alice? She could probably deal with this better than I could. _

"Well then, I think it's time for a drink." Jasper's smile grew wider by the second and he probably thought he was getting laid.

_Fat chance!_

Even though I had just met this man, something about him made me feel comfortable. I felt like I had known him forever for some reason and my body relaxed with ease. A certain calm passed over my body and I didn't feel edgy anymore.

He snapped his fingers in the air and like magic, a bartender appeared at the table with two glasses of a light blue liquid. Smoke was pouring over the rim of the glass and it looked like something from a laboratory.

"This is our signature drink." Jasper lifted the glasses from the bartender and gave me one, "It's called a Blue Mountain. Vote best drink in the city." He gloated.

"What's in it?" I sniffed the glass and was hit in the nose with the smell of vodka.

"You scared?" He chuckled.

"No, I just want to know what I'm drinking." I nudged his shoulder.

"Vodka, triple sec, pineapple juice, lime juice, blue curacao and a hint of spicy rum. It sounds nasty but it's so amazing." Jasper blew the smoke off of the top of the glass. He tipped the drink back and took a huge sip, "I'm usually not into fruity drinks but this is the shit." He shook his body after it passed down his throat, "Hope this isn't your first drink."

Just to show him how game I was, I took a swig that filled my mouth before the burn of vodka traveled through my blood stream. It sure wasn't my first drink but it was one of the strongest. It woke me up like a bolt of lightning.

"Wow, that is good." I held the glass up to him.

"I told you." He put his arm around the back of the sofa, his hand grazing the side of my arm and it didn't feel uncomfortable.

_Maybe this new Bella thing wouldn't be so bad. _

Alice still wasn't back and I was starting to get worried but I saw her at the bar flirting with some dude so I decided to leave her alone for now.

"So, what brings you to Chicago?" Jasper asked.

"School." I answered simply, "How did you know I wasn't from here?"

"I can tell. We Chicagoians have a swagger about us."

"You know, that's the second time someone has told me that."

"We're the best city in the world." He shrugged like it was obvious.

I took another small sip from my glass and was surprised that I wasn't loopier. I guess all those parties in high school had taught me to hold my liquor.

"You look beautiful by the way. I don't know if I told you." Jasper said sweetly.

"Thank you. This whole get up was my friend Alice's idea. I'm usually not so..."

"...hot." He finished my sentence.

"If you say so." I blushed again.

I guess I wasn't as tolerable as I thought because I meant to set the glass on the table in front of me but missed completely. The glass fell to the ground in slow motion and shattered into a hundred pieces near my leg.

"Oh shit." Jasper got up quickly and reached for a couple of napkins on the table.

"I'm so sorry. I'm really clumsy sometimes." I shook my head and mentally scolded myself.

"It's alright. No biggie." He started to wipe up the drink that was on the floor.

My head started to spin and I didn't know why until I felt the blood trickle from my calf, down to my foot where it pooled in the back of my shoe.

I had never been good with blood and I knew that the darkness was coming before I shut my eyes. Even with the cigarette smoke and vodka smell in the air, the rusty stench of blood was overpowering. I felt less and less in touch with reality as the thumping music began to blur in my ears.

_Blood always has to ruin everything!_

This was exactly like prom when I tripped and cut my arm on the way down to the ground. I missed the whole dance because I had to go to the hospital for stitches. Plus, I passed out so I woke up the next morning with Charlie at my side. I was so pissed.

The rusty scent turned into a truly revolting stench as more blood poured out of the gash in the back of my leg.

How the hell did a glass make that much damage? Only with me. I was always the bearer of bad luck. Knowing me, I was probably going to have to go to the hospital for a transfusion or some shit like that.

I felt like I was in Dracula's layer, waiting for him to suck the life out of me. I hated blood.

"Uh...Jasper, I need you to get my friend. I have to go outside and get some fresh air." I stood up but my leg buckled under me and a searing pain shot through my calf. I could feel the glass in my skin but tried to not think about it.

"Why, what's wrong?" Jasper asked worriedly.

I didn't have the chance to answer him before my mind shut down and the last thing I felt was the plushness of the sofa as my body collapsed.

_Happy Birthday!_

* * *

**HOLY BLOODY BELLA BATMAN**

**LET ME FIRST SAY BEFORE ANYONE ASKS, THIS IS A BELLA/EDWARD STORY SO DONT GET ALL UPSET BECUASE JASPER'S THERE. **

**THIS WAS JUST A LITTLE TEASER CHAPTER OF THE MEETING. THE REAL ONE WILL COME NEXT. I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT OUR EDDIE BOY HAS TO SAY ABOUT BELLA ONCE HE MEETS HER. **

**I WILL HAVE ANOTHER CHAPTER MAYBE TONIGHT IF THE REVIEWS COMMAND. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THE RECEPTION THIS STORY IS GETTING. YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT WITH THE REVIEWS AND STROY ALERTS. IT MAKES ME FEEL ALL TINGLY INSIDE. **


	6. Chapter 5

Directly From Venus

EDWARD POV

"_I suppose meeting people whether it's in real life and actually shaking their flesh and blood __hand or shaking the mystical hand of the character, all rub off on you in some way."_-_Janet Suzman_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I rolled the hundred dollar bill into a tight cylinder. I gazed at the gorgeous blonde laying naked on the table in front of me with a line of coke in between her amazing tits.

"Are you nervous, Edward?" She adjusted herself on the wood of the desk so that her legs spread open for me.

"Shut up." I snapped, "I didn't bring you up here to talk." I leaned my head down and snorted the coke perfectly through my nose and as soon as it entered my blood stream, I continued on my high.

The bass of the music downstairs was pounding, only adding to the incredible sensations going through my body. I was on the top floor of Plasma on our famous glow-in-the-dark night that always brought out the hotties. Busty babes with fantastic asses and deep throats were overflowing from the club. I was in heaven.

Jasper was probably also getting his fill of lovin' somewhere on the first floor where he hunted the female specimens like he was on safari. Emmett and Rose were probably fucking in his office while his hand was on her ass but I didn't judge.

The current "friend" lying on the table in my fourth floor office, didn't have a name that came to my mind. No, correction. Her name was Big Tits and she was fantastic. I found her the second I walked into the club late this afternoon and I think she was some kind of new waitress that Jasper had hired to keep the international businessmen happy. In any case, I snatched her right up.

Even though this was Jasper's club, all three of us had offices here on the fourth floor, hidden from the wandering eyes of those below. Some of the men in suits, who were dancing with the hot women that we provided, were our biggest contacts in some of the shadiest businesses around the world.

I had only come in today to check over a large shipment of ivory tusks that were going on a boat ride to Brazil in the morning. I had to make sure that everything was there and all was accounted for because Brazilians didn't play when it came to their illegal poaching. I know that sounds stupid but the Cullens were more than just mobsters. We dealt in everything...and I mean everything.

I didn't even make it upstairs before I saw Big Tits and my night plans were immediately changed. It took one crocked grin and she was a puddle in my hands. I took her upstairs and we basically fucked until my dick fell off. We had stopped two hours ago when I needed a recharge, which consisted of cocaine and some of Jasper's damn Blue Mountain beverage. I didn't do fruity drinks but that shit was surprisingly good. I would never tell him that though.

"Are you ready for another round?" Big Tits called my attention back to her naked body by running her finger from her mouth, in between her breasts, over her stomach, and down between her legs.

"I'll watch." I leaned back in my leather chair as I smoked a Cuban in nothing but my boxers.

I watched as Big Tits dove her finger into her pussy and began arching her back as she pumped in and out. At a steady rhythm, I gazed with a hard dick as she continued to writhe on my desk, the papers on Brazilians forgotten and the trunk of tusks in the basement nothing more than a memory.

The high from the cocaine mixed with alcohol and the fumes from my Cuban were doing strange things to my body but I was coherent. I was always coherent. I made sure of it because if I wasn't, bad things could happen. I never liked it when people had the upper hand. If I lost control of my senses, I wouldn't be in control anymore. I always stopped myself just before I went over the line. Only I got to taste the supreme coke. Big Tits didn't get a chance to try the pure, white, stock that I kept in the vault behind the family picture in my office.

_I know, cliché but it works. _

No one got to try the good stuff unless they paid for it. She was just some girl who looked nice. She didn't pay for shit so she was currently lucid. The only problem with that was she talked too much.

"Is this good enough for you?" Big Tits asked as she moved one wet finger furiously over her swollen clit.

I dipped my hand below the waistband of my boxers and stroked my seriously hard cock.

"Edward!" I heard Jasper from down the hall and since we were up on the top floor, there was only a dull thumping of the bass from the music.

I rolled my eyes, retracted my hand, put out my cigar and pulled on my Armani pants in less than four seconds.

"It's time for you to go, babe." I hit her leg and she leaned up shocked.

"What, why?" She clambered to get off of my high desk.

"Don't ask questions." I said and threw her whatever she came up here with.

"Edward!" Jasper's voice was getting closer.

"When can I see you again?" Big Tits pulled on her panties and her shirt.

I actually laughed darkly in her face, "You won't. You'll probably be fired by tomorrow morning." I went to the door across the room and held it open, a sign to get the fuck out.

"Wha...what? I just got this job." She pleaded pathetically.

"Well then you weren't doing a very good job if you were fucking the boss' brother, were you?"

She pulled on her skirt and then got mad, "I'm going to sue you for sexual harassment." She nearly screamed.

Jasper was at the door looking like he ran a marathon and I told him to wait outside while I dealt with Big Tits. He looked into the room with wide eyes even though he shouldn't have been surprised to see the scene.

"What the hell did you do now?" He harshly whispered, "I liked her."

"I liked her too." I shot back with a grin, "Get out!" I spoke back to whatever-her-name was.

"I'm going to my lawyer." She crossed her arms and stomped out of the door, bypassing Jasper and I on the way.

I let out a deep breath and moved aside so that Jasper could enter.

"You're the only man I know who can fuck for the entire afternoon and then do five kilos of coke all without getting anything messy. Are you even human?" He asked as he looked around.

Just like I wanted it, nothing was misplaced or out of order. The papers were stacked perfectly, the carpet was clean and minus my shirtless body and white powder residue on a mirror on my desk, you wouldn't have even known what I had been doing up here for the past four hours.

I walked into the bathroom and washed my hands.

_Who knows what shit Big Tits had on her. _

"What do you want? I was busy." I said.

"I see." Jasper pointed to the still prominent but receding erection in my pants.

"Shut the fuck up. What do you want? I have to make sure the ivory is ready to go for tomorrow." I ran my hands through my hair, trying to smooth out the strands that were astray.

"We have a problem and I don't know what to do." His face paled.

"What did you do now?"

"Nothing, I swear." He held up his hands, "I was talking to this hot chick downstairs. We were drinking and she was into me but then she dropped her glass and cut her leg. She just passed out on the sofa."

"Was she drunk?"

"No, she hadn't even finished her first Blue Mountain."

I held the sides of the sink and hung my head, "Where is she?"

"Lying where she fell." He shrugged.

"You left her down there? Go get her!" I yelled. Was he stupid? No he wasn't but sometimes, Jasper didn't think and this was obviously one of those times.

"What should I do with her?" He asked as he walked backwards out of the door.

"Bring her up here and get Emmett. We have to wake her up and make sure no one sees you."

He nodded before running out of the door.

I cleaned up the little mess I had around my office and didn't even bother putting on a shirt.

This is just what we needed. Another mess up that my father is going to hound me for.

I wasn't worried about Big Tits and her allegations. She probably couldn't afford an attorney and even if she could, the courts wouldn't hear her trumped up charges or take her seriously. She was just another bimbo on a long list of my conquests who had threatened the same thing.

I never forced myself on a woman but I might as well have. I found that almost all females I came in contact with couldn't resist the Edward Cullen charm and they basically did what I said after the first five minutes of conversation. It was really pathetic but I had honed my skills well plus, I learned from the master, Great Grandpa Cullen.

I don't know if my father knew it and he would highly disapprove if he did but Great Grandpa Cullen helped me get my first pussy at the age of twelve. I know, I could barely get a boner at that age but I tried my hardest just to look tough in front of him. He was a really bad influence now that I looked back on it but I would always hold him in the highest regard.

Since then, I had been consistently dominating on the fields. I don't know what my total count was up to but I would suspect thousands. High school was a particularly fun time for me. Even though I was somewhat of a loner, I was dynamite in the sac but that's beside the point.

My prideful thoughts were broken when Emmett bounded through the door with an angry look.

"What the hell is going on? I'm dancing with Rosie and next thing I know, Jazz is pulling me up here. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." I hitched my shoulders innocently, "That's our other brother who's causing all the trouble."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. Something about a girl who passed out. I wasn't really listening. She's probably one of his whores."

"Well he needs to take care of it. Why am I here?"

"Because, we need to handle this and she might freak out when she wakes up."

"Whatever. I just want to go back to dancing. Did you know we have a mosh pit going on down there? It's so cool." Emmett droned on about whatever the hell he was talking about while I focused on shaking out the wrinkles in my shirt. I would normally iron it but Jasper was bringing his victim up here so I didn't have time.

"Okay, I need some help." Jasper came through the door carrying a petite girl whose face was tucked into his chest. It looked like she weighted nothing, "Clear off the desk."

I did as he said and moved some of the things I had so that she could fit. When he set her down, I had to do a double take because...

"Who is she?" I asked, almost stunned. I had never seen someone who looked so beautiful, especially with Jasper.

She had creamy white but not pale skin and an angelic face that could have been carved from marble. Her dark brown hair was flowing around her like strands of liquid chocolate. She had high cheekbones with soft features that made her seem slightly younger than she was. We had a strict over twenty-one policy for the club so she had to be at least that old.

"Her name is Bella." Jasper explained, "I met her downstairs. She's hot, right?" He smirked at me.

She was more than hot. She was...exceptional.

"What the hell did you do?" Emmett looked over the girl with wide eyes, "Did you kill her?"

"You can tell she's breathing idiot." I slapped the back of his head and couldn't take my eyes off of how her chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm. The curves of her body were perfect and I had the sudden urge to run my hand along the lines of her not too small, not too big features.

"What should we do? Call Dad? Call the hospital?" Jasper asked worriedly.

"She looks like she just needs some food in her or something. I guess the blood took her off guard." I wanted to help clean the very visible gash that was on the back of her calf but for some reason, I felt wrong touching something so delicate.

Unlike the woman on my desk not ten minutes earlier, this woman was pure. She just had that innocence about her that made me feel slightly awkward. She almost reminded me of my mother and I had never even met this so called Bella.

_What the hell? _

I shook myself to get my mind right and went to the bottom drawer of my desk to pull out one of the granola bars that I kept for nutritional support.

"I think she's waking up." Emmett shook Bella softly, "Go get something to clean her up with." He said to Jasper who ran into the bathroom. I heard the water running and he came back a second later with a wet washcloth.

We all looked over Bella and I felt like I should have disinfected my desk before we laid her down on it. I felt kind of shamed.

Bella grumbled something incoherent but I could tell that she was waking up.

"Bella, it's me, Jasper. Can you hear me?" He asked softly.

She started to move on the desk but her eyes were still closed.

"Here, try to sit her up." I instructed and still didn't want to touch her. I didn't feel right. Emmett gently sat next to her and propped her up on his weight. Her legs were hanging off the side but didn't reach the floor like his did.

"I'm going to clean off her leg." Jasper knelt down and reached for her wound but something in me didn't like that.

"I'll do it." I said urgently and got in his position. He relinquished the washcloth and gave it to me.

"I think she had a friend with her. Maybe I should go find her." Jasper tapped his chin when he stood back up.

With a shaking hand that I tried to calm, I lifted Bella's leg off of the desk and started to wipe the gash clean. The blood from her calf was dried as a long stream traveled down into the fucking, five inch, fuck me heels that she was wearing. My dick twitched and my hand was still shaking for some reason.

"Edward, what the hell is wrong with you?" Emmett asked.

"Too much coke." I said, lying to myself. Maybe that was it but I knew it wasn't. I had never acted like this before when I was high but who knows.

I continued to clean the shallow cut on Bella's leg that was more like a scratch but the amount of blood that had poured out of it was intense.

"She'll be fine." I said confidently, "She just got scared I think."

Bella continued to grumble something as she woke up from her slumber but still wasn't fully attentive.

I quickly finished up cleaning and then went back to my desk where I had a stash of bandages. I got one that would cover the wound and made sure it was on tight before backing away from Bella completely, into the far corner. I didn't trust myself around her for some reason.

"What kind of shit did I take tonight?" I asked myself and looked for something to organize. I had nerves that needed calming.

Suddenly, the door to my office flew open to reveal a very steaming little monster with spiky hair and her skin was actually red.

"What did you do to my friend?" She yelled and threw herself at me, causing me to stumble back into the wall, "Bella! Wake up and run. I've got him. Save yourself." She screeched.

"What the hell is this thing?" I tried to pull the demon off of me.

She jumped from my arms and ran over to the desk, "What did you do to her? She was just a sweet girl and now you've corrupted her." She hit Jasper with a hard slap to the face that made his neck jerk back, "I saw you talking to her."

"Geez lady, can it. We're trying to wake her up." Emmett rolled his eyes, "Take it down on the drama."

"I don't even know you but I'm calling the police. She looks dead. Bella, Bella wake up." She hit Bella in the face gingerly.

"Alice, I'm fine." I heard Bella's raspy voice for the first time and my body felt weird again. I quickly pulled myself together and started devising a plan of getting this little demon out of my office.

"No you're not fine Bella. Did they drug you? Oh God, they did. I know they did." The tiny woman quickly pulled out a taser from her purse and struck Jasper dead in his neck with a motion that I barely even saw. His body jolted slightly and he fell to his knees, gripping the desk for support.

She got Emmett in the neck as well and I was surprised she could reach up that high. He didn't go down as easily but that didn't stop her from trying.

"Run, Bella! They're going to rape us." She yelled to the high heavens.

"Calm down." Jasper regained some strength and wrapped his arms around her body.

"Get your hands off of me! Run, Bella!" She flailed in the air.

"This is why I don't let people into my office." I grumbled.

At this point, Bella was more alert and looking around with wide eyes.

I was hit by a figurative train as I looked into brown irises that spoke volumes. Even from across the room and in dim light, I could see the flecks of gold and green as they shinned off of the desk lamp.

"Wha...what's going on?" Bella asked and blinked a couple of times.

"They're trying to rape you. Run!"

"Who's trying to rape me, Jasper?" Bella pointed to my brother who was still struggling with the beast who was now pushing them up against the wall, "Alice, calm down. No one is going to hurt me."

"Yes, he tried to rape you!"

"I did not. She cut her leg, passed out and then I brought her up here so some douche didn't rape her downstairs." Jasper gave up and just set this Alice down on the carpet but snatched the taser from her hand before she could do anymore damage, "Where did you get this anyway?"

"I have another one in here somewhere." The girl whose name was apparently Alice, was searching through her bag, "Just hold on while I find it."

"Alice, he didn't try to rape me. Jasper was helping me. I passed out from the blood." Bella tried to get off of the desk and almost fell on wobbly legs, I reached out to help her but it wouldn't have done any good since I was near the door.

_What the hell? _

I actually had to pull my arm back with my other hand and continued to sulk in the corner as I tried to bring my body back from its obviously outrageous high.

"Alice, calm down." Bella stood on unsteady legs and she looked so fucking hot in her white, barely-there dress and I could really see her dark brown hair as it fell over her shoulders.

"Are you sure Bella? Because I can handle them." Alice pulled out another, larger taser and started flinging it around, "This one has prongs bitches." She pointed it at Emmett.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked, backing away sacredly.

"I'm pissed. You took my friend." Alice went to stand next to Bella who had since taken off her heels and was about a head shorter.

"Alice, stop it. Jasper wasn't trying to do anything." Bella said and Jasper nodded frantically.

"Promise, ma'am." He talked softly, "I wasn't trying to hurt her, promise." Out of nowhere, he had acquired a southern accent. Emmett and I looked at him like he was a different person.

Alice kept up her steely glare on all three of us while holding onto Bella.

"Why don't we just go home?" Bella suggested. She had yet to look at me and I didn't know what would happen if she did.

I wasn't in control of myself at the moment and had the urge to sneak off to the bathroom to purge my body of all the harmful shit I put into myself tonight. I hoped that I didn't have beer goggles on or in this case, coke goggles because Bella was looking more incredible by the second.

Alice's shoulders shrunk and she seemed to deflate, "This is all my fault, I didn't mean to mess up your birthday."

"It's okay. We'll do something tomorrow." Bella placated her, not really acknowledging the three men in the room.

"We can go to the lake or something." Alice got happy again.

_This woman was like some crazy, bi-polar, speed demon._

Bella began walking to the door but I could tell that the cut on the back of her leg was bothering her, "What happened?" Bella turned around and asked Jasper.

"Uh...well after you passed out, I brought you up here so that you weren't alone. I didn't know this little thing back then." Jasper pointed at Alice, "Then we cleaned you up and tried to make sure you were okay."

He totally skipped over the part when he came up here asking me what to do, making him seem like the hero but I wasn't in a mood enough to correct him.

"Who bandaged my leg?" Bella asked.

"Edward did." Emmett said quickly, "Blame him. We didn't touch you, I swear."

"Edward?"

"Uh...me." I decided to make myself known and she spun around like I was a ghost.

We just stared at each other for an awkward couple of seconds, the full affect of her eyes hitting me even harder than before.

"Oh...well thank you." She hung her head and it looked like she was talking to herself but I couldn't tell because her hair was creating a curtain over her angelic face.

_Angelic? I had never used that adjective to describe a woman in my life. _

_You are so fucking high!_

I started laughing for no reason other than the fact that I was so messed up.

"Is...something funny?" Bella asked and her tone was kind of edgy.

"No." I replied simply.

"Well then why are you laughing? I don't like people laughing at me when there's no reason." She snapped like we were old friends. That kind of took me aback but I didn't show it.

"I didn't mean to offend you." I answered.

"Good." She bobbed her head authoritatively, "What's wrong with you? You look strung out."

"You'll have to excuse him." Emmett stepped in, "He's kind of hopped up right now."

Bella gave a knowing nod and I saw her try to hide her own smile, "Thank you." She said sweetly.

"You're welcome." I let out a deep breath that was a mixture of frustration with myself and...I don't know what else.

"Let's go. I don't like it here. We'll be taking our business elsewhere." Alice pulled Bella towards the door and made sure that she turned her back on us.

"Well, bye." Bella waved and the door closed with a soft, resounding thud.

No one knew what to say as Emmett, Jasper and I just stared at each other.

"That was fun." Emmett decided to break the silence like he always did.

"I'm...not sure if that really happened or if this was a dream." Jasper shook his head.

I didn't really have anything to say because I didn't know if I was still high or not but something told me, it was more than that. The weird sensations that I had from before, were still within me but now that Bella wasn't here, I had the odd feeling that I needed to see her again...without the coke goggles.

By two a.m, the bar was shut down and the club had started to dissipate of drunk patrons that had flooded the floors. Jasper and Emmett handled everything while I sat in my office, tapping my pen on my desk, thinking.

The cocaine had started to work itself out of my body and I think I peed out the horrible Blue Mountains that I downed so I was level headed again. The only problem was that I couldn't get Bella out of my thoughts.

_What I wouldn't give to fuck her on this desk._

I ran my hand along the smooth wood of my empty desk and imagined what it looked like a couple of hours before with Bella sprawled out in a somewhat dreamlike state. She was beautiful, that was certain but I had rarely come across a woman who had the exceptional looks that she did.

She was one of those rare breeds that was sought out by men all over. I bet she was some kind of model or actress. She had to be.

"Damn." I said to myself and clicked my teeth together just trying to think more about her.

Blondes were my preference but I was suddenly rethinking what I liked. If only I could have had five minutes alone with her. She would have given into me and I would have been bending her over right now instead of fantasizing about it.

Now that I saw her, Bella was becoming more of an itch that I had to scratch. My body craved her because I had found her. Well to be honest, Jasper found her but I would be the one who ended up plowing the shit out of my new brunette beauty who had seemed to have appeared directly from Venus.

This physical attraction to her was going to kill me. What the hell was I going to do if I couldn't cum inside her soon? The problem with me was that once I sought out a challenge, I didn't stop until I had it and Bella had just fallen into that category.

She was going to be mine sooner or later.

"Hey dude, it's time to go." Emmett pushed himself into my office.

"Oh yeah." I jumped up a little quicker than I should have and gathered my things.

I was under my desk, trying to reach for my briefcase when I saw a small corner of white fabric that was peeking out from under the edge of the carpet.

"What the heck is that?" I pulled on the fabric and found that it was a long clutch purse. I closed my eyes, quickly scanning through my memory until I spotted Jasper carrying it in with Bella a of couple hours ago.

My eyes snapped open with a smirk on my lips.

_Let the games begin!_

* * *

**HOLY FIRST MEETING BATMAN**

**HELLO JOHNNIES!**

**THERE YOU HAVE IT. BELLA AND EDWARD HAVE MET. WHAT DID WE THINK? DID WE LIKE? **

**THERE WAS A LOT MORE DOUCHWARD IN THIS CHAPTER AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE PUT OFF BY THE DRUG USE BUT HEY, THAT"S HIM. NO CHANING FOR NOW. HE OBVIOUSLY HAS A PHYSICAL ATTRACTION TO OUR BELLA. WHAT WILL THESE TWO GET INTO NEXT? ITS BEEN FUN WRITING. WASN'T ALICE JUST A HOOT? THAT LITTLE PIXIE WILL BE THE DEATH OF US ALL. HAHAHAHA**

**YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AMAZING WITH REVIEWS, KEEP IT UP. I LOVE GETTING FEEDBACK, GOOD OR BAD. DON'T BE SHY. **

**COME BACK ON FRIDAY FOR MORE!**


	7. Chapter 6

Shades of Green

BELLA POV

"_All the soarings of my mind begin in my blood."-__Rainer Maria Rilke _

All things related to Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

I Google searched again and again.

Never in my life had I seen such an off shade of green but I just had to find it. I barely knew his name but as soon as I got home from Plasma last night, my mind wouldn't shut down. I felt like some drug crazed, groupie.

When Alice pulled me out of the office at Plasma, she was furious and still flailing her rather large taser around for everyone to see that she was tough shit. I was still slightly buzzed from the blood loss mixed with alcohol but nothing compared to the high I got from seeing those eyes for the first time. What the hell was wrong with me? Get it together Bella!

I looked at him once and already, I was itching to run my hands through his bronze hair or run my finger along his chiseled chest that was on full display for me last night. I wasn't an overly sexual person but I was a woman who just saw her first piece of true eye candy and Jesus have mercy, he was fine as hell.

Alice was less than amused and wouldn't answer my questions as to who my new Mystery Crush was. She was still pissed from having to bring out the big guns so didn't really notice my complete glazed over look as we sat in the back of the cab. She just kept talking and I just kept fantasizing.

It was completely embarrassing but I couldn't help it.

I was so wrapped up in Mystery Crush that I didn't even really feel the throbbing from the back of my leg that was so neatly bandaged, I thought someone had called a doctor. It was entirely ridiculous that I could have this physical attraction to some guy I barely saw for two seconds and then was rushed out of the door but I didn't feel like it had to be explained. If only I could see him one more time, I would be good for the rest of my life.

_Does that even make sense? _

Last night, I went to bed with dreams of green going through my head.

Emerald. Candy apple. Electric. Army. Fern. Sea. Shamrock. Jade. Pigment. Pine. Viridian. Wikipedia said that there were an estimated 9,142,857 different shades of green. I had probably gone through half of them by eight the next morning.

His name was Edward. Such an old-fashioned, strong name but it matched him perfectly. He just stood regally and it only took one second for me to fall for his looks. I bet that's how it always was.

I looked at the clock that now read ten a.m. I hadn't slept since five and I was starting to feel the effects but I wasn't going to rest until I found the right color of his eyes. They were still pulling me in every time I closed mine and thought about the three seconds I saw him standing near the door.

Last night, Edward was high, that was for sure but he still had the sexiest face I had ever seen. It wasn't just that he had a nice face, it was more than that. There was a fire behind him that I could sense and it turned me on immensely although that wasn't anything close to the way he looked at me. Even thought he was slightly inebriated, something about him was calling me. It was like I was drawn to him through his blood and that was fucking weird. I was even scaring myself.

"Pull yourself together, Bella." I rubbed my eyes to try and break Edward's spell on me.

I was a fucking junkie with my coffee next to me on the desk and my laptop powered up.

Since I couldn't sleep, I spent my time on the internet trying to find out who Mystery Crush was like a stalker but I wasn't ashamed.

Through a very circuitous route, I found that Jasper Cullen was the owner of Plasma, thus I figured that Edward's last name was the same.

"Come on." I tapped my foot impatiently as Google took its sweet time loading the page after I typed in 'Edward Cullen'. I didn't know anything else so I hoped that was enough to get me some sort of information.

My cell phone brought me out of my lusting and I nearly jumped five feet in the air. I looked around like a cartoon character, with my head shifting from side to side as I searched furiously for my phone that was buried under my un-slept in sheets. I found it near my pillow and picked up just as the ringing stopped. I always left my phone on the charger and never took it anywhere with me. I didn't even know why Charlie bought me the thing.

"Hello?" I answer quickly.

"_Gezz Bella, you sound like you ran a marathon. What's going on?" _Alice asked.

"Nothing." I lied and took several breaths to calm myself, "What's up?"

"_I'm bored. Let's do something." _

"I can't right now Alice and it's ten in the morning. There isn't much to do on a Sunday."

"_We should go somewhere outside. It's so pretty and we're not going to have much time once school starts tomorrow." _

"Uh...I can't. I have things to do." I stalled.

"_Liar. What are you doing?" _

"Nothing."

"_Well I'm coming over in an hour. Be ready to go to the lake."_

"What lake?"

"_Lake Michigan, silly. It's really close and it's going to be filled with hot guys." _

"I don't want any hot guys." I instinctively looked at the computer screen but couldn't really make out anything.

"Well I want some. Be ready in two hours." She hung up before I had the chance to say anything else but to be honest, I wasn't listening to her.

I threw the phone back down on my bed and practically raced to the computer.

There were several articles on men named Carlilse Cullen who was either that big man in the room with us at Plasma or another brother. Maybe the father? There were a couple of postings on a woman named Esme who owned a successful design firm and of course Jasper had promotional stuff up for his restaurants and clubs.

I scrowled down the page and tapped my foot faster. My bottom lip was nearly bleeding from the amount of pressure I was putting on it with my teeth.

Of course my eyes zoomed in on the title that read 'Chicago's Sexiest Bachelors'.

I clicked on the link and waited for the page to load while I chewed on my finger. There were thumbnail photos of about thirty men, all of whom were sexy in their own way but I wasn't looking at them. He was number four, how he wasn't number one was beyond me and I was seriously debating writing a petition to have him moved up.

I clicked on the image and my panties were flooded with a sudden rush of my physical lust.

"Sweet baby Jesus." I breathed as I looked at my computer screen.

Edward was in the most form fitting, tailored, navy blue suit I had ever seen as it clung to the strong lines of his body. He was standing tall with his arms crossed, against a window that overlooked the city in the background. His hair was more styled than it had been last night but his face and eyes were still the same. I would call him beautiful but that didn't seem to be the right word for a man like him. I would have to do another Google search to find the perfect adjective. Maybe exquisite, superb, godly?

He was almost too stunning to look at and my eyes kind of hurt but I couldn't not stare at him. What I wouldn't give to have him on my bed, tied up and naked.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" I played with the ends of my hair as I read the short biography.

_Edward Cullen_

_Age: 25_

_Edward Cullen comes from the Cullen business dynasty and has grown up in the upper echelon of Chicago society. His father Carlisle and mother Esme have raised three boys but Edward seems to be the only one making serious rounds in the dating community. As a fresh, up-and-coming real estate mogul, the youngest Cullen brother has already been dubbed a revamped James Dean type with piercing green eyes that can mesmerize. _

_"A guy likes confidence in a girl. I love a __confident__ girl who will come up and talk to me," Cullen told us. _

_While Cullen isn't planning on settling down in the near future, that hasn't stopped him from "testing the waters" as he put it. _

I didn't even notice that my hand was down my pants until it was almost too late. My index finger ran over my swollen clit and my butt lifted off of the chair, pushing my digit into my soaked entrance. I curled my finger slightly and kept up a constant rhythm as I looked at Edward's picture, his eyes boring into mine, causing my body to react immediately.

It only took two minutes before I was crashing down from the quickest yet most intense orgasm I had ever had. It took me significantly longer to bring myself back to reality as I rested my head on the back of the chair.

I stayed in that position for about half an hour, not moving, not blinking, barely breathing.

I pulled my hand back up when I could think again. I closed my laptop, not even caring to power it down. I stood up and paced the floor with heavy breathing.

Never in my life had I been so attracted to a man. Not even in my short hormonal period that I went through when I turned fifteen. Back then, everything with a penis had the ability to turn my head. Of course I wasn't a slut and didn't do anything with them until Mike came along but that still didn't stop me from having a few late night, hand parties under my sheets. Actually, Mike was the only person I had ever had sex with but that doesn't mean I didn't think about it.

This Edward fellow had the ability to turn me into a puddle just over the computer and that was dangerous.

There was a knock on my door that almost made me fall over. I calmed myself down and made sure that I looked somewhat pulled together, still in my pajama pants and a tank top.

I went to the door to let Alice in.

"Are you ready?" She held up her hands to show off her hot pink cover up that was hiding what I suspected to be a skimpy bikini underneath.

"Oh...has it been an hour already?" I looked at the clock.

Her face fell, "What is wrong with you? Why do you look so flushed?" She lowered her sunglasses, "Is there a man in that bathroom?"

"No. It's just a little hot in here." I fanned myself.

"Well that's why we're going to the beach. I brought you a bathing suit."

"Oh God. Please have it cover me up." I prayed.

"Yes, I picked out something modest." She pushed her sunglasses up into her hair, "Now move! I want to leave soon."

"I can't go to the beach Alice." I complained, pointing to the still covered up cut on my leg, "Sand and open wounds don't mix."

"Oh yeah." She pouted, "Sorry about that by the way."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I should have been watching you."

"We can do something else? Show me more of Chicago." I suggested, brightening her up.

"Okay." She jumped up and down, "Go get dressed."

I went into the bathroom to do my normal routine that only took a couple of minutes.

I walked out and went straight to my dresser. I pulled on a pair of short jean shorts that would provide me some kind of coverage but were still breathable in the Chicago heat and a tee shirt.

"Who's this?" Alice pointed to the computer that I had shut but now stood open.

I quickly closed it before more questions began pouring from her mouth.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"No. I want to know who that was. I just saw the picture. I think I've seen him before." She tried to push my hand away but I wasn't budging.

"He's no one. Leave it alone." I snarled.

"Fine." She crossed her arms, "Make sure you bring money for the cab. I didn't bring my wallet."

I looked around the room and my face screwed up.

_Where was my purse from last night?_

I sent out the search party.

Alice and I looked for the thing for an hour before we concluded that my purse wasn't there. I know I had it with me last night but who knows what really happened after I passed out. I could have left it on the couches or someone could have stolen it but I didn't think so. I remember having it with me in Edw…in his office. I think I saw it on the desk but I wasn't sure.

"It's not here Bella. What did you do with that purse?" Alice said from under my bed.

"I don't know. I could have sworn that I had it with me last night."

"You did because I reminded myself when we walked into Plasma that I wanted to borrow the thing. It goes perfect with a blouse I just bought."

"Well you bought the stupid thing. I barely know what it looks like."

"It's a white clutch." She grumbled, going further under the bed.

"I bet I left it at the club when I feel or something." I sat in the chair by the desk, "Damn."

"What did you have in it?" Alice crawled out from her spot and sat on the bed.

"Some money, not a lot but some and my , those were important."

"But you had your key last night, didn't you?"

"No, you let me in, remember?"

"Oh yeah." She thought for a second, "I guess we could call Plasma and see if whats-his-name picked it up."

My heart started to beat quickly at the thought of going back into that place. Maybe it was from excitement or nervousness but the scene of the crime was never a good place to be.

"Do…do you think Jasper would still have it?" I asked skeptically, trying to cover up my new found enthusiasm. Just the thought of being in the same vicinity as Edward was about to make me combust.

She shrugged, "I don't see why not. We can find the number online."

Before I even had the chance to open up my laptop, the phone on my bed rang. Alice and I both turned to look at it. Since she was closer, she picked it up like it was hers.

"Hello….oh…yeah….okay…she's right here…." She covered the phone with her hand, "It's an Edward. Do you know an Edward?"

Sudden flashes of green ran through my head like blades of grass being thrown from a lawn mower.

_He was calling me? _

"Uh…yeah. It was the guy near the door last night in the office." I said and calmly held my hand out for the phone.

"I didn't really see anyone."

"I wouldn't be surprised. You were going all Rambo on their asses to notice. Give me the phone."

She handed it over and I placed it to my ear, "Hello."

"_Is this Bella, from last night?" _A cool voice came from the other line and I almost died right there. If Alice wasn't here, I would have had my second "happy time" of the day.

"Yes, this is she." I replied formally. I don't know why.

"_I don't even know if you'll remember me…" _

"Of course I do. You bandaged my leg." I spoke a little too loudly and blushed over the phone. Damn it, damn it all to hell!

I heard him darkly chuckled over the phone, _"I have your purse. You must have left it here. You had a list of numbers in your wallet and I just called the one that said it was your cell phone." _

"Oh…well thank you."

"_It's no problem. Would you like to come and get it or would you like me to bring it to you?" _There was a slight tinge in his voice that told me he had a narcissistic view of himself. It was almost as if he could bounce his voice in a way that would make him seem superior. I hoped he was just putting up a front over the phone because it would be a shame if he had all that beauty but a messed up personality.

"Um…well my friend Alice and I were just about to go out. I guess we could meet you somewhere." I answered.

Alice wrote something on a piece of paper eagerly and held it up for me to read.

"_Sure." _He replied.

"I can meet you in Grant Park, at the Buckingham fountain in what…an hour?"

Alice nodded vigorously.

"_That's fine with me. I'll see you then Bella." _He hung up the phone without any kind of goodbye and I was left with a low ringing dial tone.

"Well that was sufficiently awkward." I put the phone down.

"You like him." Alice had a wicked grin on her face, "I can tell. That was the guy on the computer wasn't it? I remember now."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Liar." She accused, "Don't you try to hide from me Bella Swan."

"I don't know what you mean." I was lying through my teeth but I was still hoping that she didn't notice.

"You are in so much denial. You blushed and you had that thing in your voice." She dragged me up.

"Thing?"

"Yeah. I can tell you had dreams about him. You masturbated to him didn't you? I know you did." She jumped off of the bed and did some kind of weird dance.

"I did not. Stop that." I pushed her back down so that she would sit still.

"You are just a hormonal little minx, aren't you? Who knew that Bella Swan would relieve herself to the likes of that guy. He was so…" She shuddered instead of speaking, "Although I have to admit that he had a nice body. I just got one glimpse but that was enough."

"Shut up." I grumbled.

She got off of the bed and began pulling me with her.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"To meet your new lover. I want to see him close up and without my taser."

"Oh great. Scare him again." I stuffed me feet in my shoes.

"In my defense, I thought they were raping you. I was trying to help."

"You almost killed them."

"It wouldn't be the first time." She said nonchalantly, "Come on." She pulled me out of the door and my heart started beating faster by the second.

Alice explained to me that we could get to Grant Park by walking and since it was a nice day, I didn't really have a problem stretching my legs. I was working on less than two hours of sleep and three cups of coffee so I was pretty energetic.

We had an hour to kill so we walked at a leisurely pace while talking about school and life. I was just trying to get her off the subject of Edward, which she didn't bring up again but I could tell that she wanted to. We arrived at the entrance of Grant Park from Columbus Avenue forty-five minutes later.

"So….who is your mystery man?" Alice nudged me. I could see the spray from the fountain up ahead but I tried not to look too eager.

"I don't know. I only met him for a couple of seconds before you pushed me out of the door."

"Well we had to get out of there. It was weird." She shivered. "Something was going on in that room that I didn't like. The vibes were strange."

"The vibes, what are you now, physic?"

"Duh. I've been trying to convince people of that for years but no one believes me. Call it whatever you want but I've got the gift." She pushed her fingers to her temple.

"You are one strange woman." I said under my breath.

"Whatever. Do you need some moral support? I think he's just using your purse to get to you. What if he likes you too? What if he's like this…super sexy superhero with amazing powers or…"

"Okay, okay. I get it." I calmed her down. "I just hope he didn't go through my stuff."

"He probably just wanted to meet you again."

"Stop being stupid." I said. There was no way in hell Edward Cullen, Chicago's fourth sexiest bachelor, would want to meet me. He probably had tons more things to do than bring me my purse.

"Okay, well I'll be here if you need me." Alice sat herself on a bench under some shaded tress and I kept walking towards Buckingham Fountain.

The whole place was huge and I had never seen so much water that wasn't in an ocean before. It was one of those Chicago landmarks that was on all of the postcards and had streams of water shooting into the sky. Majestic, bronzed, green horses were climbing out of the fountain and it looked like everything was actually moving. Stone and marble basins stood strongly as they peaked over the water top.

The surrounding area was filled with kids and families who were throwing pennies into the fountain. Large trees were covering the location with grassed places for sitting. Lots of old benches were around for people to sit and I noticed that people were eating lunch in the sun. It was very peaceful.

I just stood there and watched, trying to get my mind off of my masturbatory dream.

"It's a beautiful sight at night." A smooth voice whispered to me.

I jumped and spun around where Edward was holding out my clutch with a crocked grin on his face.

"You scared the crap out of me." I spoke softly, running my hands through my hair, smoothing it out.

"Sorry. I just couldn't help it. I was calling your name for about a minute." He chuckled marvelously.

"Oh…I guess I didn't hear you." I replied awkwardly.

"That's obvious. I brought your purse back and I promise I didn't steal anything."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"I guess you'll just have to trust me."

"Did you go through my things?" I took the purse from him, acting a little callous towards him but I didn't want to appear like a giddy school girl.

"No, I didn't have to after I found the cell phone list. I didn't want to impede on your privacy."

_Impede?__This charmer had a vocabulary. _

He crossed his arms behind him and I was glad that he had a pair of Ray Bans on or I might have been thrown to the floor by eyes.

I was worried that he would look at my driver's license and realize that I wasn't really twenty-one but he seemed to be telling the truth about not going through my things.

"Thank you." I said.

"No problem." His grin seemed to be permanent. Something about him was different today than it was last night and I couldn't put my finger on it. He just seemed to have this attitude about him that was very arrogant. He eyed me up and down in a creepy way and even though he was still sexy as hell, I was starting to wise up to his antics.

"Well thank you…for this and for last night." I pointed to the back of my leg.

"It wasn't a problem. It's not every day I get to wipe down a leg as beautiful as yours."

"Uh huh." I replied.

He was dressed in a very smart pair of black slacks and a light blue collar shirt that had its sleeves rolled up, looking old and young at the same time.

"You look very nice today." I said, trying to keep talking and not fantasize about the perfect chest that was underneath.

"I just came from church." He explained.

"That would explain it." I nodded, slipping further into awkwardness.

"Yeah." He shuffled his feet, "So, what do you have planned today?"

"It's the last day before school starts so Alice and I are going to walk around a bit."

"You're in school?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." I blushed for some reason.

"Junior?"

"Yes." I said before I could stop myself. Just like last night when I told Jasper I was twenty-one.

_Pull it together, liar!_

"Do you need a tutor? Maybe I could help you out sometime." Edward's voice filled with innuendo and that just made him even slimier in my eyes.

"Is that a pick up line?" I asked, not even hiding my discomfort or disgust with the situation.

"What would you do if I said yes?" He ran his hands through his hair, trying to smooth it out.

That was when I noticed that all of this was too calculated. Every movement he made seemed like it had been practiced and done over hundreds of times. He was trying to pick me up just like he did every other girl he met. It was flattering while also being extremely overconfident on his part. It was sickening to think that this was all he had to do before girls rolled over for him although I had to admit that he had done less with me last night and I was already infatuated.

"I would say that I'm not some chick who you can get to suck your dick by being a jackass." My bold side was starting to come out.

"I have been nothing but nice to you." His lips twitched into a small smirk. He obviously liked my reaction a little too much.

"You've been a little too nice."

"Isn't that what girls want?"

"What do you think I am?"

"I'm not sure. I just met you last night."

"Damn straight." I was breathing kind of heavily and was surprised that I hadn't slapped him by now. Maybe I was getting ahead of myself.

He kept up his smirk with his hands crossed behind his back, "Are you finished with your pathetic excuse for an early 19th century woman's suffrage speech?"

I was kind of taken aback by his boldness but then realized that people usually bowed to him. He was rich, fine as hell, obviously smarter than most scholars and had a hint of danger about him. What wasn't to love?

"You're impossible." I started to walk away but he gingerly took my wrist and turned me back around. I snatched away from his grasp.

"Am I annoying you?" He asked and was almost laughing.

"Immensely."

"Are you irritated?" He started to circle me like I was his fucking prey.

"Massively." I growled.

"Am I making you…angry?" He whispered in a delicious way close to my face.

I didn't even bother answering. My face held all the anger I was feeling.

"They say that anger is the sign of true passion. We could create magic together, Bella."

"Are you that arrogant that you think I would…what, fuck you? I don't even know you."

"Perfect. Literally no strings attached."

"Okay, let me just get this out there. I think you're incredibly sexy and if you would let me, I would like to have a nice fuck before I go about my business." He stopped playing his games.

My mouth hung open as I digested his words. I did register somewhere that he had called me sexy but that was overshadowed by the fact that he thought he was going to get a quick fuck from me.

"Are you serious? Is that how you normally get girls?" I asked, stunned.

"Actually, no. Ideally, you would already be on your back by now." He got a little angrier, "You're very frustrating."

It was in that moment that Edward Cullen went from total heartthrob to every other ubiquitous jerk I met in high school.

"Thanks for bringing me back my purse." I didn't even chance a look back at him as I walked around the fountain.

I could feel his eyes on me and hoped that he got a good look of my ass because that was the last time he was ever going to see it.

* * *

**HOLY EDWARDASS BATMAN**

**THAT MAN WILL BE THE DEATH OF US ALL. HOW CAN HE BE SO...ANNOYING? I KNOW BUT THE TRUTH IS, HE'S THE FUNNEST TO WRITE. OH EDWARD, YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT OUR BELLA WASN'T SUCH A PUSH OVER. **

**HE'S IN FOR A WORLD OF HURT COMING UP BUT IT SHOULD BE FUN TO WATCH PLAY OUT, NO?PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ME IF ALICE AND JASPER WILL GET TOGETHER. ALL IN GOOD TIME MY LOVES. JUST LET ME WORK MY MAGIC.  
**

**HOPE YOU'RE ALL READY FOR THE ROLLAR COASTER THAT I'M ABOUT TO THROW DOWN. **

**UNTIL TOMORROW...ADIOS. **

**REVIEW JOHNNYS, REVIEW. **


	8. Chapter 7

La Forza della Tigre

EDWARD POV

"_In a battle all you need to make you fight is a little hot __blood__ and the knowledge that it's more dangerous to lose than to win.__"-George Bernard Shaw_

All things related to Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I tapped my pen in a systematic rhythm on the wood of my desk in my penthouse as I thought about…well, nothing in particular but I felt like I should be doing something productive. The only problem was that I couldn't bring myself to get busy with anything.

It had been like this for the past week, ever since I met Bella at the fountain to return her purse.

_What the hell was wrong with her? _

My normal tricks didn't work. Usually, it took three minutes, five tops to hook a woman. I had gotten it down to a very mechanical and precise routine but Bella shattered all that to hell. What the heck was her problem?

"I bet she's a lesbian." I nodded, trying to convince myself of that but it wasn't working.

This girl was grating on my last nerves. As a man who likes to play games and make conquests, Bella should have been an easy kill for me, a simple mark but somehow, my charm hadn't worked. I had been going over the events of that Sunday for the past week, trying to figure out where I went wrong but my photographic memory allowed me to see that I played my role to perfection. Therefore, the blame had to be placed on her.

I couldn't sleep that night. Well, I never slept but that night I was increasingly restless all because of that damned Bella. She was like a bug that was trying to borough under my skin and wouldn't leave me alone. She was becoming a serious problem in my eyes.

By Tuesday, she was clouding my judgment, making me forget simple things and I didn't know what the hell was wrong with me. By Thursday, I had literally tried to fuck her out of my system by calling over almost every girl in my little black book but none of them were helping because I had already conquered them. By Friday, I was high on a shipment of cocaine that my father got from Vietnam and yet Bella was still able to break the barriers of my drug induced haze.

It was now Saturday, one of my days off but guess who was sitting at his desk like a bitch, trying to figure some girl out? Me!

I never once in my life had to work this hard for a lay and I had only met the woman twice, both times lasting less than a minute. Bella…

_Bella. _

_Bella. _

_Bella? _

What kind of name was that anyway?

I guess I could go to her but that was against my morals, code, routine, whatever you wanted to call it. I didn't chase women, they chased me. I half expected her to call on Monday but something about her told me that she wouldn't. It was weird. I felt like I knew this girl even though I had barley laid eyes on her. I had called her first, to give her the purse back. That was my gentlemanly hook and she was supposed to bite.

I kind of lost my cool with her for a second when I saw her at the fountain but that was only because she was distracting me. She looked…stunning even in her dressed down attire that I found oddly refreshing. I never wore anything but suits and the occasional workout clothes when I went to the gym but anything else wasn't appropriate. In any case, Bella kind of took me off guard that day.

I could usually just walk up to a girl, spit my lines, have her on my arm in five minutes, and have her in my bed within the hour. Bella made me anxious for some reason. She made me awkward and I had grown out of that fucking stage. I was a grown man and this wasn't high school so why did I feel like it was.

She was the hot cheerleader and I was the nerdy band geek but even in high school, I knew how to get women. Bella was different.

"She's a lesbian." I said again. I hit my pen more furiously on the desk as I thought about this chick. I had to figure her out.

I had to find a way to see her again and to make sure that I wasn't fucking crazy. I had to redo my act so that she would get it this time. I thought I had her there for a minute but then she flipped on me.

To make matters worse, Jasper couldn't stop talking about her. He was always mentioning 'The Swan' from Plasma and I was about to blow his head off. She was mine to conquer and he just kept going on about how beautiful she looked that night at the club. I knew that already, what I wanted to know was how beautiful she looked with her clothes off.

Jasper and I had never fought over girls, it was never that serious but with Bella, it might come to that. I didn't care what he did with her after I was finished but I had to be first. He was trying to find her number in the Northwestern registry but wasn't having much luck since they had a lot of their records protected. I would get some sort of reprieve when he asked about the other girl with Bella that night but besides the giant taser, I didn't really remember her.

He didn't know that I had already made contact with Bella and I was planning on keeping that to myself. He would never let me forget it if he learned that I struck out.

_Struck out? _

_Was that what this was? _

I had never had to deal with this before so the fact that I was sitting here with a girl on my mind was unfounded. Maybe I should start seeing my therapist again. What the fuck was wrong with me? I usually had the mental strength of a tiger but now I felt more like a rabbit or some shit like that.

I had to get her out of my head or I was going to go insane.

The phone rang, jolting me out of my seat. I reached for my gun that was in the open top drawer of the desk but put it back once I realized it was nothing.

"Jesus." I calmed myself, "Pull it together Edward." I ran my hand through my hair and smoothed out my shirt like the person on the other end of the phone could see me.

_I'm already going insane. _

I picked up, "Cullen."

"_Cullen? That's my phone answering reply." _My father laughed.

"Oh, hi Dad." I shuffled some papers on my desk so it sounded like I was working, "Did you need something?"

"_Can't a father call his son without me needing anything?" _

"I guess." I said skeptically.

"_So…how's it going? You've seemed distracted lately." _

"Fine. Nothing to report. You know me, just daydreaming about what it would be like to be out there, enjoying my summer." I joked. We both knew that wasn't true.

"_You get more like me every day. I was in your same position at that age." _He sighed, "_The thrill of youth." _

"I've seen the pictures. Your youth days were pretty fulfilling if I remember correctly."

"_Don't get me started. I remember one time…"_ He paused for a couple of second,"…_well we won't get into that." _

"Uh huh. Don't be ashamed or your wild days." I laughed.

"_Okay, I see I need to keep things professional with you. I do have a reason for calling." _

"I knew it."

"_Anyway, we have an issue with the Japanese syndicate." _

"Oh?"

"_Did you read this morning's paper?" _

"No, I didn't get the chance." I cradled the phone on my shoulder so that I could look up _The Chicago Tribune _on the computer, "Fill me in."

"_Emmett should be calling you soon with the details but basically, __Shinobu screwed us over."_

"What did he do now? I swear, I told him to keep everything quiet."

"_Well he's back in the states now but the shipment was caught trying to get into the country. Everyone's making a big deal about it. He got caught with my guns Edward." _My father stressed and I heard an indication of terror in his voice.

The Cullens have several ways of getting what we needed into the country. If you were coming from the South America or Mexico, it was easy as driving across. The security down there was shit so no one really cared. Coming across an ocean was more difficult although not impossible. Guns were the hardest since they couldn't be concealed like drugs but over the years, my father had perfected his methods. I didn't know the real logistics of it all but what I did know was that we had a massive web of illegal activity under our name and had yet to be caught.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked him.

"_I was smart enough to keep the destination under wraps so no one knows where the guns were headed but now they're sitting in some government warehouse. Those are mine Edward and someone has to pay for them because I have to hand them over to the Russians soon. " _

"I know, I know." I went through records in my head, trying to figure out how much of a mess we were in, "What happened to Shinobu?"

"_He's sitting pretty in his penthouse downtown since the Feds let him go. He just called me and apologized. Can you believe that? He apologized to me for losing my shipment. He didn't send money, compensation, nothing." _

"Do we have to do this on a Saturday?" I groaned.

"_You have something better to do?" _

Yes, think about Bella.

"No." I replied.

"_Then we're finishing this. I want my compensation and you boys need to go get it." _

"Alright, fine. You'll have your guns by the end of the day Old Man."

My father's voice seemed to calm in an instant, "_Thank you and tell your brothers to come over for dinner tonight. You're more than welcome if you want but I know how you like to go out on Saturdays." _

"_I'll be there." _I hung up the phone and beat my head on the table.

There were few days when I would rather sit and do nothing than get out there with my gun but today was one of those days. I would have given anything to stay in bed but business called. What did normal twenty-five year olds do anyway? I would have to find out later.

I made a quick call to Jasper who was already geared up to go and then Emmett who was busy trying to make an inventory of what we needed. I was slightly impressed when he told me that he was already on the situation until he went off onto a tangent of the fun him and Rose had last night. That's Emmett for you. A layer of brains wrapped under a layer of muscle and then sexual stupidity.

I shut down my computer, straightened out my desk and then made sure I had everything I needed before leaving the office on the second floor of my apartment. I went into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water and shoved a granola bar down my throat before throwing my jacket over my shoulder. I locked up and set the security code before shutting the door to my apartment.

I was in the elevator a couple of seconds later and tapped my foot on the carpeted floor, noticing how ugly the thing looked. It was a drab beige color that had no life to it. It wasn't like I cared but since this was my building I wanted to make sure that it at least looked presentable. I made a mental note to have all the carpets changed. Other people lived here too but there wasn't any kind of association for these kinds of things. I made my own decisions.

The elevator dinged on Jasper's twenty-fifth floor and he sauntered in lazily while whistling a tune.

"Howdy." He waved, "You ready to deal with Yakuza street trash?"

"Always am. I brought my Browning 9x19 today." I flashed my gun that was situation prettily in my belt.

"I see you came prepared." He quirked an eyebrow.

"Got to with these fuckers." I growled just thinking about the shit I was about to put up with.

"Che cosa hai fatto ieri sera?" I asked him in Italian for no reason in particular.

_What did you do last night?_

He shrugged, "Seduto a casa a guardare la partita di baseball"

_Sat at home and watched the baseball game. _

I nodded to myself at how sad our lives were, "Hai saputo niente altro su Bella?"

_Did you find anything else out about Bella? _

"No, lei cerca di nascondersi da me." He replied with a smirk.

_No, she's trying to hide from me. _

I twisted my neck to loosen up the nerves that were starting to build just thinking about what sick thoughts that were going through Jasper's head. Bella wasn't his and I had to make that known but I didn't want to make myself seem too eager. He would never let me live it down if he found out that I was actually chasing a girl.

The elevator arrived on Emmett's floor and he came in with his head buried in a piece of paper. Like we were all on the same wavelength, he spoke in Italian, "Non parlare. Sono woking"

_Don't talk, I'm working._

We all stayed silent until we reached the garage level.

"What do we need chief?" I asked Emmett as we went to the section that was blocked off for our cars only.

"Not much. "I'll tell you when we get there." He shrugged.

"I think we should take the Hummer today. We might be coming back with a lot." Jasper nodded towards Emmett's huge black tank of a truck that he bought for his month long fascination with off roading

"Great." I replied sarcastically as we stalked off towards the beast.

Emmett giddily jumped in front and started the thunderous engine that rattled the car to its core. I climbed in the front seat and Jasper got in the back. There was actually a harness that wrapped around my body for safety purposes.

"Who drives a Hummer in the city anyway?" I asked as I strapped myself in.

"Me." Emmett laughed evilly as he pulled out of the parking lot and whipped the car around like it was made of plastic. I said the rosary in my head as he raced out of the parking garage at an unhealthy speed for this tank.

We rattled and shook down the crowded streets of Chicago, making the cars below look like punk go-karts.

"I think some of us value our life." Jasper shouted from the back over the engine as Emmett took a turn at well over the speed limit.

"Whatever. This is nothing compared to the Yakuza den we're about to enter." Emmett gave another maniacal laugh but he was right.

Shinobu Moioka was about my age and another rival that I had to deal with when I was first starting out in this life. He was from a rich Japanese family that had ties in ancient Japan, dating back for centuries. Like the Cullens, the Moiokas were tough shit but dealt with things a lot differently. I guess they would be considered our Asian equivalent. Shinobu was wild and uncontrollable, making him sloppy. We wouldn't even be using him if his gun supply wasn't so good.

The father of the family was weak, letting his son rule over him without respect. Carlisle would never allow some of the things that went on in that family but to each his own I guess.

Shinobu was an American born, half French, half Japanese but he would fight anyone to the death if you said that. To him, he was full Japanese. His mother was some French model who had charmed her way into Shinobu's father's life. No one really acknowledged her though because she was an "outsider" since the two weren't married and she wasn't Japanese. It was that way with all mob families. The bloodlines had to be viable and connected to the old country in some way as far as marriages went.

Good thing Rose had Italian in her or Emmett might have to find him another girlfriend but that's beside the point. Shinobu didn't acknowledge his French side, leaving his mother out in the cold.

He was young, a partyer, drinker, smoker and we had had fun on some occasions whenever he was in town but I tried to keep my distance from him. He was too unmanageable for me and I was more than tempted to just kill him but that would start a Chicago battle that would have obliterated the entire city. Not a good thing.

"What the hell do you think he's going to be like today?" Emmett grumbled, obviously thinking the same thing I was.

"Ole' Shin Shin. We've had good times." Jasper laughed.

"I just hope he doesn't try to play Russian roulette like we did the last time." I rolled my eyes just thinking about how horrible that experience was.

"He is a trip." Jasper sighed, "I just want to make it home in one piece. Ma's making cioppino for dinner and I don't want to miss it."

"We'll be fine." Emmett waved it off like this was nothing.

Emmett pulled the Hummer onto the south end of North Jefferson Street and the polished apartments shinned on both sides.

"180." I said and pointed to the building where Shinobu lived whenever he was in Chicago. This area was known as the West Loop, catering to those Chicagoians who thought they had money and tried to show off but everyone knew all the real wealth was uptown.

"I just got il freddo." Jasper shuddered as we went into the underground parking garage.

Il freddo or The Chill, as we called it, was the feeling we all got when going into situations like these. It was our survival instinct telling us to run but at this point in our lives, we had been able to suppress that emotion. Now, a slight coldness would just creep through our bodies when we got into business mode.

"Stay on your toes." Emmett parked the tank and we all got out. I didn't bother getting my jacket because I needed to be free.

I shoved the Browning deeper into my belt as we walked towards the elevators. Two huge, Japanese security guards stood at the entrance with sunglasses and crossed arms, looking like something out of a comic book.

I let Jasper take the lead since he was the only one of us who spoke Japanese fluently although I could understand a lot of it.

Jasper spoke professionally and quickly, stating our business without any pleasantries.

Security Guard No. 1 made a rapid call that took three seconds before he hung up and stepped aside.

Jasper, Emmett and I walked into the glass elevator before pressing the penthouse button. The elevator shot up and Emmet pulled his list out of his pocket, handing it to me. I looked it over and got a gist of what my father wanted from Shinobu. Just a few handhelds and explosives, nothing too much but enough that I knew a shipment was going to be made to the house. There was no way we could bring all of that back even in Emmett's Hummer.

The guns for us but my father was acting as a halfway point between the Yakuza and the Bratva, the Russian version of the mafia. One thing that you learned in this underground world was that clans never mixed but somehow, my father had made friends with all of them and served as the buffer for many families that needed interactions completed and didn't want to do them themselves.

"This should be fun." I sighed as the elevator reached the top floor.

As soon as the doors opened, we were pulled out and frisked by more security guards who pushed us up against the wall. I had been through this many times so I knew what to do.

"Weapons?" A gruff voice asked and I emptied my pockets, showing I didn't have anything but my wallet and then flashed the gun in my belt.

"That's all I have." I replied dryly.

He eyed me skeptically and eyed him back, daring him to say something.

He nodded and let us by.

Jasper, Emmett and I walked down a long hallway with doors on each side. Windows were open to show the city below and I felt an odd sense of competitiveness as I compared Shinobu's building to mine. Call it a Freudian theory on male dominance but I always had to win whether it was a competition or not.

I knocked rapidly on the door at the end of the hall and even from the other side I could hear the thumping techno.

"Jesus, it's only two in the afternoon and I bet he's already plastered." Jasper muttered.

"Yeah." I agreed, "Let's just hope he has a clear head."

The door was flung open and another burly guard stepped aside for us to enter.

The whole apartment was filled with smoke that I could taste was marijuana and cigar. The shades were drawn, not letting any light in and strobe balls were on the floor, casting oddly shaded colors over the walls. It was like a fucking club in here but I guess that was Shinobu's style. Life was a club to him. Naked Japanese women waved to us as we walked through the apartment though they had no appeal to me. I was here for business, we'll talk about pleasure later.

Shinobu was situated in a steaming hot tub in his sunken living room with a group of girls around him, a thick cigar hanging out of his mouth and a glass of bourbon in his hand.

"Boys, I was wondering when I was going to get a call from you!" He shouted when we came in. I had to roll my eyes at his fake Japanese accent that he had acquired over the years, trying to mask his true heritage.

"Shinobu." I nodded professionally.

"What's with the stick up your ass Eddie? Come on in, have a drink." He replied.

"I don't' think so." Jasper spoke from next to me, "We're here for our father's guns, the ones that are currently in lockup thanks to you." He clarified.

He brushed it off, acting like he had no idea what we were talking about, "Please. I sent those guns off two days ago."

"Really? The same guns that we didn't get?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, it's not my fault."

"All I know is that I came here to pick up compensation. You lost the shipment so you have to give us something to work with." I stopped beating around the bush. Now was not the time to be nice.

"You Cullen boys think you rule the world, don't you?" He jumped out of the tub, grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist, "It's not like I meant to get the stuff caught up in customs but if those fuckers didn't feel the need to check everything…"

"I thought you have people in customs?" Emmett walked around, trying to get as far away from Shinobu as possible. They had never really gotten along.

"Well, obviously something fell through." He snapped and glared at us.

"We're not leaving until we have our father's stuff." Jasper was very stern and made his point clear by pulling his gun out for the entire world to see. "You know how Carlisle can get about his guns."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw guards at the ready, hands on weapons, feet in the attack position.

"This isn't going to go down that road." Shinobu sighed. He wasn't stupid and a shootout in his apartment wouldn't end well for him, "You'll get your stuff." He snapped his fingers and the girls were removed from the room, the security was thinned out and covered tables were brought in on rollers.

The sheets were ripped from the tables to reveal shinning guns and beautiful firearms. My whole body seemed to know it was in the presence of superior artillery and I felt like I was having sex. It was the same kind of high for me.

I circled the tables, trying to quickly see what was needed. Emmett picked up an impressive Kel-Tec RFB, It was one of those long sniper rifles that you saw in the movies but never thought was real.

"Are these the new ones?" Emmett asked as he held it in the shooting position, his eye looking through the scope.

"Yep." Shinobu replied proudly, "Twenty-six inches of perfect stainless steel, fluted barrel, plus a suppressor. Has a muzzle velocity in excess of 3000 feet per second and can pop someone off from a good mile or so."

I almost jumped over the table to steal the thing from Emmett. It was so sleek and beautiful but I kept my cool.

"How many do you have?" Jasper asked in a clipped tone.

"Five right now but I owe Carlisle six. I have other rifles if you want to take a look. This is all I have until my next trip back home so your father will just have to make do with what is here."

This fucker was starting to get on my last nerves. Who the hell did he think he was? He was playing with someone else's money here and it was completely unacceptable for him to be messing with my shit.

Two hours later, Jasper, Emmett and I were walking out of Shinobu's apartment building with written agreements for the shipments to arrive on Carlisle doorstep within the next twenty-four hours. No exceptions. The amount of money he owned us wouldn't have been enough to sell his blood to a vampire and Shinobu knew he was in deep horse crap. If we had to make another trip to him to get our stuff, we might leave with his head in a bag. Carlisle didn't play around with his shit and expected the best from whoever he was working with. I actually feared for Shinobu's life if he didn't pull through.

"That wasn't as bad as I thought." Emmett said as he pulled out of the parking garage, heading towards Esme's.

"That's because he was high and sedated." I snickered.

"Whatever, I like the new Shinobu."

On the ride home, that damned, brunet popped back into my head.

_Bella…_

It was weird how easy it was to push her out of my head but no matter how hard I tried, she always came back like a mosquito or a parasite. That's what she was, a parasite.

What happened to the strong, unwavering Edward who never looked back at a girl? What happened to the strength of the tiger?

I shook my head, trying to clear my damn thoughts but she was always there so I just had to focus on something else.

As we pulled up to the front gate of my parent's house, I thought of what my father would do in this situation. He was more of a softie than I was and he would say something like I needed to court Bella but that was pointless. I just wanted sex. What was the point of making an effort if I was just going to throw her away?

That thought made my stomach churn for some reason. Throw her away? Then someone else might have her.

I actually scratched the skin of my arm like a meth addict as I thought more and more about how I was going to get Bella into my bed. It was like planning a war with my million man army against her lone brown eyes.

I was certifiably insane.

* * *

**HOLY INSANEWARD BATMAN**

**POOR DUDE. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HIS HEAD. BELLA REALLY FUCKED HIM UP GOOD. MWAHAHAHAHAHA, LET'S HOPE HE DOESN'T JUMP OFF ANY CLIFFS **

**THATS YOUR LAST UPDATE UNTIL TUESDAY SO SOAK IT ALL UP JOHNNYS. NOTHING WILL BE AS SWEET AS WHAT'S COMING NEXT WEEK. I KNOW THERE WASN'T ANY BELLA/EDWARD INTERACTION IN THIS CHAPTER BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IM SAVING UP. YOU'LL LOVE IT, I PROMISE. IN THE STORY, I WROTE IN ITALIAN AND WILL BE FOR A LOT OF THE CHAPTERS BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. **

**GO REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT AN AWSOME WRITER I AM SO THAT I'LL FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF. LOL HAVE A HAPPY WEEKEND**


	9. Chapter 8

Sin and Punishment

BELLA POV

"_If the guilt of __sin__ is so great that nothing can satisfy it but the __blood__ of Jesus; and the filth of __sin__ is so great that nothing can fetch out the stain thereof but the __blood__ of Jesus, how great, how heinous, how sinful must the evil of __sin__ be_"_-William Bridges _

All things Twilight realted belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

"Hey, do you have pen?" Tyler asked from behind me.

"No. You ask me that every day and every day I say that same thing. Leave me alone." I snapped without turning around.

I refocused my thoughts back on the professor at the front of the cavernous, arena style classroom.

Another Monday was upon us and even though I had only spent a week in school, it felt much longer. I was in a bad mood. Not only was it "that time of the month" but I was more frustrated than ever because those damn shades of green were still haunting my dreams. _He _was still haunting my dreams.

If I knew college was going to be this hard, I would have stayed in Forks. But the thing was, nothing was as hard as suppressing the attraction I was feeling for Edward.

I had met the man twice and he was controlling me. It was scary to the point of sleep deprivation. I didn't even want to close my eyes at night because he would be there, watching me, taunting me, loving me.

_Oh yes, I went there. _

The sex dreams were the worst because I couldn't do anything about them. Nothing short of stick my hand down my underwear provided me with any kind of release but even after I was done, my body was still wound tight like a coil because they were just fantasies, dreams, nightmares. Nothing was like the real physical touch of his hands and I was about to jump off a building from insanity.

I kept tabs of my sins in my head because I figured that I would have to recite them to St. Peter at the gates of heaven. I wasn't a religious person by any means but even I knew that the intense lustful thoughts I was having were enough to send me to hell if I didn't repent. The dangerous thing about it all was that I could have cared less.

I used to live my life with some sort of morality but in my head, all bets were off when it came to Edward. If he came to me tomorrow and said that he wanted me to strangle Alice, I would have done it just to feel his lips on mine. He was controlling me like a puppeteer and I was slightly scared by that.

The only form of solace I got was that I never had to see Edward again. I wasn't planning on ever going back to Plasma and he was twenty-five so it wasn't like we ran in the same circles. Chicago was big enough that he could live on one side and I could live on the other. We wouldn't have to even cross paths and I was thanking every God in heaven for that.

To be honest, I didn't even have time to think about Edward unless I was sleeping because I was so busy otherwise. I quickly found out that the Northwestern curriculum was demanding for a reason. The university was trying to crank out the top lawyers, businessmen, engineers, and doctors in the whole country so a lot was required from us. I was keeping up but it took work.

I had adjusted pretty well, all thanks to Alice and my life fell into an easy routine that I liked. I would wake up and basically spend all day in class, fall into trances about Edward during my downtime, go back to my dorm and study with Alice, eat when I needed and then sleep, dreaming about Edward again.

He was riding to high on my priorities list for me and I was going to have to find a way to bring him down.

"Are you sure you don't have a pen?" I felt a tap on my shoulder again.

"You want a pen?" I quickly spun around and threw it at Tyler's head, "There. Stop bothering me."

Tyler Crowly had to be the most annoying boy I had ever met but no matter how hard I tried, he wouldn't leave me alone. He was cute, nothing as beautiful as Edward but was there any male specimen out there who could compare to my green eyed man? No.

Tyler was tall, tanned, blonde haired and hazel eyed. He was a year older than me and made sure everyone knew what a great hockey player he was. All the girls were going crazy because of him but I seemed to be the only one turned off by his arrogance. What was it with guys and their egos? It wasn't flattering at all.

In any case, Alice said he liked me, which I already knew but I was trying to deny it with all my being. Every day he would ask me for a pen and then give it back when he realized he had one in his pocket. His arrogance made him annoying and his annoyance made him childish. He wouldn't leave me alone. He had already asked me out on two occasions and I had of course said no but it didn't seem to faze him any. He was a chaser.

"Thanks for the pen but I just found one." He whispered over my shoulder and handed mine back to me, making sure to brush his hand past my hair. I cringed slightly and then refocused on my literature professor.

I was intrigued by this class because it was so difficult but right up my alley. It was more of a contemporary classical literature class, dealing with books that made an impact on America in the 20th century. I was soaking up the information like a sponge and really enjoyed class discussions although Tyler and sometimes even my mental Edward kept my thoughts occupied.

Our first assigned book was Upton Sinclair's _The Jungle_, a hard hitting look at the Chicago based meatpacking industry in the early part of the 1900s. It was famous for shinning light on the depravity and pure horror of the meat plants that employed immigrants for basically nothing. It was a journalistic piece disguised as fiction but still got Sinclair's message across. In high school, I only got through the first half of the book before I had to put it down. The filth, grime, and muck that were presented in the novel were a little too much for me. This go-round, I was doing slightly better and was almost finished with it.

I took a glance at the page I was currently on and decided to read a little more.

_All day long the blazing midsummer sun beat down upon that square mile of abominations: upon tens of thousands of cattle crowded into pens whose wooden floors stank and steamed contagion; upon bare, blistering, cinder-strewn railroad tracks, and huge blocks of dingy meat factories, whose labyrinthine passages defied a breath of fresh air to penetrate them; and there were not merely rivers of hot blood, and carloads of moist flesh…_

That was as far as I was going to get in this class period. I had to read the thing in installments because it was so disgusting.

I felt Tyler's foot tapping on the back of my chair and I was tempted to turn around and beat the shit out of him but I didn't feel like it. I barely had enough energy to keep my eyes open all thanks to Edward's dream hold on me. I was woken up at three this morning with sweat all over my body and my mind racing with sexual fantasies that would have made a prostitute blush.

"So class, that's all I have for today. Make sure you read the last few chapters of the book and be prepared for a quiz on Friday." The professor spoke loudly so that everyone could hear him.

I started to gather my things and the classroom filled with the noise of scarping chairs and stacked papers.

"Hey, Bella." Tyler's voice came from behind me. I hung my head, hoping he would go away, "I was just wondering if you could help me out with this book. It's really kicking my ass." He came in front of me.

"No, I can't help you."I clipped.

"Why?"

"Because I saw your last quiz grade. You should be helping me."

He shrugged, "I can do that. You need me to come over or something?"

I gave him a pitiful look before I just turned around to leave, my backpack over my shoulders but he caught up with me.

"Okay, I was just kidding. I don't need help but I want to see you…outside of school."

"Are you asking me out again? This is what, the third time?"

"You keep shutting me down." He jutted out his lip in a pout that was incredibly embarrassing for him but he didn't seem to mind.

"Let's just say that I say yes, then what?" I gave him the option and he brightened up.

"Well then I would take you out and we would have an incredible time."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes." He answered simply.

"Okay, we'll go out…one time." I held up my finger, "And that's it. If I don't like the date, then you have to stop asking me."

"Really? Sweet!" He pumped his fist in the air.

"One time, Tyler." I yelled after him as he ran up the stairs.

"I'll call you later. Don't worry Bella, you're going to love it." He bumped into the door on his way out but that couldn't stop the bounce in his step.

"I highly doubt that." I muttered to myself as I went up the stairs and followed the stream of students outside.

I didn't have another class until later that afternoon so this was the time Alice and I usually went to lunch.

I walked outside into the bright sunlight and my eyes immediately went to Alice who was sitting on a bench in jeans and a hot pink jacket that astronauts could probably see from space. Her heels were making holes in the grass and she had a pair of cat-like sunglasses with pointed, rhinestone covered rims.

I was slightly embarrassed by her but then realized that this was Alice and there was no changing her so I might as well get used to it.

"Hello, my love." Alice jumped off the bench when I approached and wrapped her arms around me.

"Hi." I patted her back.

"How was class?" She let go and began lively skipping off towards the dining hall where we always ate.

"Good. I'm almost done with _The Jungle." _

"Yuck, I hate that book."

"Me too but it's not that bad if you don't think about it."

"Still, I won't be reading it anytime soon. Was Tyler annoying again?"

"Yes but I think I found a way to shut him up. I said yes when he asked me on another date…"

"You did what?" She pulled her glasses down over her nose.

"I said yes but only one date. I know it won't go well so I told him that after this, we're through. He's become way too irritating."

"So…what you're saying here is that I can dress you up?"

"Is that all you got from that conversation?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah." She tapped her chin, "I think I need to go shopping again. Don't worry, I'll spare you but you have to wear what I say."

"Whatever, Alice. Just don't make me look like a slut. I'm still not over Plasma."

"I know, I might as well put Edward's picture as your screensaver." She giggled.

"Shut up. You said you weren't going to talk about him anymore."

"I can't help it. You just get so hazy eyed when I even say his name. It's hilarious."

I had told Alice a partial version of the feelings I was having and she thought it was funny that I was being tortured by my imaginative crush.

_What a friend!_

Alice and I ate lunch as usual. By the time my last class was over, I was starting to regret my decision to go out with Tyler because Alice wouldn't stop talking about it. She was determined to get me a boyfriend by the time Halloween approached.

I finished the day up like I always did, studying in my room after a rather long call from my mother who wanted to know when I was coming to visit her in Florida. I really didn't know when that would be but I replied with a 'soon' and that seemed to keep her at bay. I called Charlie before I attempted to sleep but just like every other night, Edward ripped through my mind, making it impossible for me to even close my eyes.

By the time Friday rolled around, I had gotten maybe fifteen hours of sleep collectively from five days. That was a problem. This wasn't healthy. It might have sounded better if I was up all night studying but that was never the case.

I sat in my literature class, tapping my pen on my desk as I focused on the quiz that I had already completed. I breezed through it easily. Tyler had moved his seat from behind me to next to me. We were so far up in the room that we could talk without getting caught.

"Are you ready for our date tonight?" He whispered to me.

"Stoked." I replied dryly.

"It's going to be awesome. I'll come get you at seven."

"Where are we going?" I asked, just trying to take my mind off of this mundane quiz. I had already checked over it three times.

"Downtown to a nice restaurant."

"I don't want you spending too much money."

_Especially on one date that won't ever go anywhere._

"It's no problem. Dad just sent me a money order so I'm ready for a night out on the town."

Tyler was from that rich side of society where his parents spent their lives in Europe, leaving him to bounce from boarding school to boarding school. The amount of money he had only added to his superiority that he thought he deserved.

"Oh well then by all means, spend away." I said sarcastically.

"Sure thing. You won't ever want to go on a regular date again." He smiled proudly.

I kept my head down for the rest of the class, checking over my quiz four, five, six times. If I didn't get a perfect score, I was dropping out.

"Okay, so I'll see you at seven, right?" Tyler asked for conformation when we were turning in our papers on the front desk.

"Yes and I'll be ready with a smile." I said as mockingly as possible so that he knew I was not going to have fun but his head was too thick to get it.

"Awsome. Don't forget, seven." I think I saw him prance out of the room.

"I should just kill myself right now."

I got back to my dorm at five that afternoon with a very annoyed Alice sitting on my bed with her arms crossed.

"I don't know how I feel about you having a key anymore." I said as I put my bag down.

"Too bad. Why are you late?"

"I had to go print of some notes in the library."

"Well now I only have two hours to turn you into something beautiful." She pouted.

"Oh, well thanks for the wonderful shot of confidence."

"Shut up. Get into the shower." She pushed me towards the bathroom.

After my shower, I was sat in front of the mirror while Alice did my makeup, which she insisted that I needed done since I was on the prowl for a boyfriend and my lack of sleep had left bags under my eyes that made me look like a raccoon. Following my makeup, my hair was put in a stylish messy bun that sat at the base of my neck and left a few tendrils of long curly hair to frame my face.

"Okay, now for the dress I picked out. It's so cute." Alice pulled me into the room.

"I hope it covers up some skin." I said as I sat on the bed.

"It will do." She shrugged and fumbled in a bag for something, "And I don't want you complaining about the shoes either. Here it is."

She held up a dress that look too tight and too sophisticated for me but I was done fighting her.

The dress was a two toned cocktail number that had a ruched, white, one shoulder top and a sleek banded, black skirt on the bottom. I put it on and just like I suspected, the thing fit like a glove around my body, showing off my waist. It stopped at a respectable length a couple of inches above my knee and I looked surprisingly mature.

"You look so cute. Okay, now time for shoes." Alice bounced, "Don't say a word about them." She held up a pair of terrifying pumps that would probably be the death of me.

"Alice…"

"I know, I know but they look so good with the dress. I want you to look nice."

"I would look fine in something two inches shorter."

"But…they don't even make heels that short." She said confused.

I gave her a look to say that she wasn't fooling me and she rolled her eyes.

"Okay fine. I knew you would complain so I got a different pair. These will be a little better." She got some more shoes out of the bag that were a more respectable height.

"Those are better." I took them from her hand and slipped on the closed toed, black, pumps that had a red sole. I knew enough about shoes to detect that the bottom meant Christian Louboutin. I didn't even want to know how much they cost because I would probably pass out.

"There." Alice nodded in approval, "And your purse." She handed me a black clutch, "Don't lose this one."

"I didn't lose the last one. Edw…_He_ stole it. I know he did."

"Whatever Bella just make sure you bring everything back."

An hour later, there was a happy knock on the door and I got up from my seat to answer it. Alice had left me awhile ago so I could just cop out of this date if I wanted to but I knew that would only make Tyler more persistent.

I opened the door and found him in a nice pair of slacks, a pressed white shirt and a dinner jacket that was left open.

"You look amazing." Tyler eyed me up and down.

"Thank you." I closed the door behind me and made sure I had my key. I decided to not be so mean to the poor boy. Even though I knew this wasn't going anywhere, I could have a good time and make up some excuse as to why I didn't want to go out with him anymore.

"So, you ready to go?"

"Yes. Where are we off to?" I asked as we got into the elevators.

"My favorite restaurant, Carmel. Its downtown and everyone loves it."

"Sounds good to me. I don't know anything else so you could take me to Burger King and I would be fine."

"You're too beautiful for Burger King." He tried to take my hand but I scrambled to fix with my hair, keeping it occupied.

We got off of the elevators and there was a cab already waiting outside. Tyler opened my door and then situated himself next to me in the back. He gave clear and concise directions to the driver who sped off into the crowded streets. The drive was silent but not uncomfortable. Tyler kept humming, trying to fill the silence and I just looked out of the window.

The lights of the city still amazed me when I saw them at night. They kind of reminded me of the stars back in Forks, which I didn't see much anymore. You can't see stars in a city so it was nice to have some reminder of home.

We got to the restaurant half an hour later, made longer by the traffic we had to battle.

"Here we are." Tyler paid the cab driver and then helped me out of the back.

The front of Carmel was very modern, covered in earth tones and big windows. We went inside where Tyler gave his name before we were escorted to our booth in a corner. Carmel was a nice restaurant that evoked the feeling of a Japanese rock garden. There were soft waterfalls and glowing lights on the tables along with bamboo shoots that added accents to the massive dining room, which held maybe fifty tables.

I sat in the booth on the side facing the entrance because it was closer to the waterfall behind me and I needed anything I could to make this night better.

"This is nice." I said as I read over the menu, "I hope you aren't going to spend a lot of money."

"Don't worry about it. I just wanted to take you out. You don't know how long I've been trying to get you to say yes. I guess all my pushiness paid off." He grinned.

"I guess."

After we ordered drinks and an appetizer, Tyler went off at the mouth. He talked about everything under the sun and I tried to stay focused but I couldn't. I ended up just playing with the ice in my glass as he continued to drone on about himself. I looked at him in the eyes, making sure he thought I was listening but my mind was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my Saturday tomorrow.

"…and then he fell on his ass." Tyler threw his head back and laughed.

I joined in like I knew what was going on but I could have cared less. It was during my hearty, fake laugh that I started to feel weird….off for some reason. The air seemed to get chillier and my body shuddered.

"Are you cold?" Tyler asked.

"No, I'm fine." I answered and I felt my legs get a slight breeze as my napkin fell from my lap.

While I was under the table, searching for my napkin, I saw the red pumps of a woman with slender legs and the Italian loafers of an obviously wealthy man. I would have thought nothing of it if the voice that sounded didn't seep into my bones.

"This will be fine." I heard Edward say from somewhere near me but by that time, his shoes had disappeared from my sight.

I jerked up and slammed my head on the table, causing it to shake a little.

"Damn." I rubbed the spot of my skull where I hit it as I resurfaced.

"Are you okay?" Tyler looked worried.

"Yeah, I'm great." I said through gritted teeth.

"Good. You're kind of clumsy aren't you." He laughed.

"Yes but I've always been that way." I answered, not caring.

I was trying my hardest not to move around to see if it really was Edward I saw or just a mirage but I could tell it was him and if I smelled correctly, he was in the booth right behind me. He smelled of fresh cut grass and a slight hint of tobacco. I know that sounds strange but it was the way he smelled when I met him at the fountain and I almost fell at his feet because it was so enticing.

My breathing increased and I felt some sweat on my brow that I quickly wiped away.

"Is it hot in here?" I whispered to Tyler.

"I thought you were cold a couple of seconds ago?" He said strangely.

"You're right. What were we talking about?"

"I honestly forgot." He thought.

He started talking again but I couldn't have cared less. Tyler's stupid voice was drowned out by Edward's velvet words that seemed to pour from his lips. I almost combusted right there. I couldn't distinguish who he was talking to but there was no mistaking that it was him.

I knew what this was.

This was God punishing me for my sins over the past week. All those lustful thoughts were my downfall and I was being punished…hard.

"I'll be right back." I felt the booth behind me move as Edward got up from his seat. I shifted so that there was no way he would brush me as he walked away.

"I think we should go." I said quickly when Edward ducked out of sight near the door.

"Why? Our food isn't even here yet." Tyler looked around.

"My stomach hurts." I made up a quick excuse.

"Oh, really." He looked kind of bummed out, "I guess we can go out again another night."

_Damn._

"Or we can go somewhere else. I don't think I'm in the mood of sushi." I pleaded with him.

"That's okay. I can call someone over and have them cancel our order if you want."

"That would be great."

"But only if you promise to come back here with me. It is my favorite after all."

I was about to make up another excuse when I saw Edward coming back into the dining room. I quickly grabbed the menu off of the table and pretended like I was reading it while peeking over the edge.

He wasn't looking directly at me but that didn't stop his green eyes from penetrating my entire soul. I thought I was going to shoot off into space. I still didn't know the exact color but I had a new found urge to find out and couldn't wait to get back home so I could Google search until the early morning.

He was in a very stylish pair of black pants that fit him as if he were born in them, a light blue shirt that was pressed to perfection and his Italian loafers probably cost more than my tuition. His wrist was adorned with a gleaming silver watch and I noticed that he tried to style his hair tonight. That almost made me laugh because it was done in such a poor way.

The way he walked was mesmerizing and like it was all happening in slow motion, I saw him lift one of his long fingers to his mouth, trying to wipe the corner. I was done. I was either going to murder everyone in this restaurant or strap Edward to my truck to drive him off to my lair.

I hid my face until Edward passed again, sitting down in his seat. His smell washed past me and my eyes rolled back into my head like a nymphomaniac.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Tyler asked, this time with more worry in his voice.

"I'm fine." I put the menu down softly. I probably looked like some crazy person to him but this all seemed normal in my head, "We can stay here if you want." I said partly because I didn't feel coming back out with him but also because I didn't want to leave Edward as stupid as that sounds.

My foot bounced up and down for a couple minutes, without anything to do but sit in this purgatory.

I was less than a couple of inches away from the man I had been fantasizing over for the past week and I couldn't even touch him. I couldn't see him. I couldn't speak to him.

I still remembered what a jerk he was at the fountain but I was sure I could live through that if he just fucked the hell out of my on this table.

"Calm the hell down." I whispered to myself.

"What was that?" Tyler asked after he took a sip of water.

"Nothing. I was just…" I couldn't think of what to say but thankfully, I didn't have to because our food came at that moment.

"Wow, this looks great." I said enthusiastically. I was trying to get this over with as soon as possible.

"Yeah it does." Tyler clapped his hands together.

I had ordered a spicy tuna roll but was slightly disappointed that I had to use chopsticks. I wasn't the best at them but I would make it work.

Tyler and I started eating and he was talking the whole time but Edward's voice was like a foghorn in my head. He was having dinner with some girl named Vienna and I didn't know who she was but apparently, he was mad at her. He was saying things like 'we won't ever have anything together' and 'all we had was sex, nothing more, get that through your head'. This was obviously a breakup dinner for him.

I would have loved to be in her position right now. To just have sex with Edward would have made me fall over and die. I didn't know who this Vienna was but a sudden surge of rage and jealousy filled me. I wanted to spin around and rip her hair out for even sitting with my Edward. I felt like he was mine and mine only.

_Oh, no. My possessiveness is coming out over a guy I hardly know. _

I thought in my head about how many sins I had racked up in the past hour.

_Greed, check. _

_Wrath, check._

_Envy, check. _

_Lust, double check._

Four out of seven was not a good percentage.

Edward's voice was stern throughout his speeches and I wanted so much to turn around and see what was going on but I couldn't bring myself to move.

"Bella, are you sure you know how to use those?" Tyler asked as I fumbled with my chopsticks and sushi.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm not a pro but I can at least pick things up."

"You look like you're struggling. Do you need help?"

"No, I got it." I replied.

Do you know when you have some occurrence you created that seems to transpire in slow motion? That was what happened next.

My left chopstick slipped, flinging the roll I was holding behind me. I watched with wide eyes as the sushi flipped in the air a couple of times over my head and then disappeared. What the hell kind of physics made it possible for me to do that?

Tyler had went back to eating so he didn't notice but I sure did and holy hell, it landed with a thud on the table behind me.

_Shit. _

_Shit. _

_Shit!_

I didn't move. I didn't breathe and closed my eyes tight.

"Uh…ma'am." I felt a tap on my shoulder and Edward's voice filled my ears, "I think this is yours."

"No it's not." I replied quickly.

"I think it is." Edward said again.

"No it's not. It's not mine." I mumbled and opened my eyes.

Tyler was looking at me like I had grown another head with his tilted sideways. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Edward's long fingers trying to push the sushi roll over the partition that separated the booths.

"It's no problem. I can throw it away if you want." He was being so nice, nothing like the Edward I met at the fountain.

"No, leave me alone."

"Ma'am, I don't mean to be rude but I don't want your sushi so you need to take it back."

"Thank you." I snatched it from him without turning my head, "I think we need to go." I said to Tyler, "My stomach really hurts."

"Okay, let me get a waiter." He called one over but I knew it was too late.

I could feel eyes on me from behind and Edward leaned over the booth, "Bella, is that you?" He asked with what I think was hopefulness in his voice.

I turned my head away "No."

"Really, what's your name?" The smug voice of Edward dick Cullen came back.

"Jessica." It was the first thing I could come up with.

"Oh well, excuse me." He repositioned himself in his booth. I could hear him muttering to himself behind me.

I kept my head almost turned all the way in a 180 position for a couple of seconds just to make sure I was out of the line of fire. When I turned back, I saw not one man but two sitting across from me. One was Tyler and the other, Edward who had a crooked grin that made my panties go damp.

"I knew it was you. You think you can hide from me?" His voice was as smooth as butter and jesting.

Tyler looked incredibly annoyed and confused, "Bella, do you know this guy?"

"Not really." I hung my head, fearing that if I looked Edward in the eyes, I might jump the table.

"I think you should leave." Tyler spoke up but Edward didn't even acknowledge him.

"So Bella, how have you been?" He asked and crossed his arms over the table. He started picking up pieces of bread crumbs in a stealthy but almost neurotic way. It almost made me think of an OCD special I had seen on TV one time.

"Fine, you?" I moved some hair out of my face and sat up straighter, determined not to let him win whatever game he was playing.

"Good. You look very beautiful tonight." His eyes went straight to my chest and then up my neck to my face. I could almost feel his hand along with them.

"Is that a real compliment or are you just trying to get me to sleep with you again?"

"Well…both I guess." He shrugged like it was nothing and poor Tyler just looked at us with his mouth open.

"Don't you have a date to get back to?" I crossed my arms, mirroring him.

"She went to the bathroom." I checked behind me to make sure he wasn't lying and sure enough, she was gone.

"Well you're interrupting mine."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is that what this was?" He mocked me, "I didn't realize."

"Go back to your seat Edward. What are you even doing here?"

"This is Jasper's restaurant. I eat free."

_This is getting ridiculous. _

Of all the fucking restaurants in this city, I had to sit here in Jasper's. This was God trying to punish me again. I just know it's him.

"It was nice to see you again but if you don't mind, I would like to get back to my date." I pointed to Tyler, "I was having a wonderful time."

"Of course." Edward got up and brushed off his shirt, "It was nice seeing you again Bella." He nodded before going to sit back behind me.

I let out a deep breath and regained my thoughts.

"We really need to go." I said.

"I agree. This is creepy." Tyler asked for the check and it was brought a couple of minutes later.

While he was dealing with paying, I felt a warm hand slip a piece of paper in mine.

"If you ever want to have some fun and not hang around pussies for the rest of your life, give me a call." Edward whispered into my ear.

I secretly flipped the paper over and read it under the table. It was his business card and I quickly stuffed it in my purse.

"You wish." I whispered back harshly.

"That I do." I heard him chuckled, "Don't you want a good fuck?"

_Yes!_

"No, you're rude and condescending. I can go without."

"Yeah right. You're about to burst."

"Well then maybe I'll ask Tyler for some sexual relief."

I think I heard a growl or a low roar from behind me but as far as I knew, there weren't any animals in here.

"I could help you better than he could." Edward said in a stressed tone. I grinned when I realized that I struck a nerve.

"I'm not so sure about that. You look like you don't have much experience." I smirked at my tactics at winning this war.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of in the bedroom. I can make you feel things that you could only dream about." Edward was so close to my ear, I could feel the moisture from his breath.

Tyler still hadn't noticed since he was haggling with a waiter but I could have given a damn if he did.

"I'll take care of it myself." I whispered back.

"I bet you could and I would love to watch that." His breath was so close to the nape of my neck, I almost felt it inside my skin, "Or I could help."

"I said I don't need your help." I snapped.

"I bet you're so tight and wet right now. Put your finger in your pussy and let me taste."

I had to sit up straighter and cross my legs because his dirty talk was about to do me in.

"I'm going to file a report against you."

"Go ahead, then you'll always wonder what could have been. I can make you feel incredible, Bella."

"I don't need your help." My voice at this point was nothing more than a faint pant.

"You just watch. One of these days, you're going to fall."

"Don't be so sure of it. I don't plan on ever seeing you again."

I got up from my seat and Tyler did the same as we both walked out of the restaurant.

I chanced a small glance back at Edward once we reached the door and found him sitting with Vienna again, a wicked smirk on his perfect lips.

_Please God, stop punishing me!_

* * *

**HOLY DIRTY TALKIN' EDWARD BATMAN**

**THAT BOY WILL BE THE DEATH OF US ALL. HE'S BOLD, I'LL GIVE HIM THAT. HOW WAS THAT FOR SOME VERBAL LEMONADE. HAVE MERCY. **

**SO, WASN'T THAT FUN? I KNOW, BELLA NEVER HAS GOOD LUCK BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES HER A MESS. IN THE NEXT CHAPTER WE GET TO SEE WHAT EDWARD THOUGHT OF ALL THIS AND HOW HE REALY PLANS ON HANDLING THE BELLA SITUATION. **

**A COUPLE OF THINGS TO ADDRESS:**

**JACOB BLACK WILL BE IN THIS FIC AS WELL AS OTHER "WOLF CHARACTERS" BUT THERE WON'T BE A LOVE TRIANGLE TYPE THING. JACOB IS PURLY THE ENEMY OF EDWARD AS HE INSPECTOR TRYING TO TAKE DOWN THE FAMILY, NOT A LOVE INTREST FOR BELLA ALTHOUGH THEY WILL HAVE SOME INTERACTION BUT ITS ALL IN REFERENCE TO EDWARD. **

**SPEAKING OF EDWARD, SOME ARE ASKING WHAT KIND OF OCD HAS. HE IS BASED OFF OF A FRIEND I HAVE WHO STARTS COUNTING AND DOING RYTHMIC PATTERNS AS STRESS INCREASES. IN LATER CHAPTERS WE WILL SEE JUST HOW MESSED UP HE IS WHEN IT COMES TO CLEANLENISS BUT FOR NOW, HE HASN'T HAD MUCH OF A FREAK OUT. IT WILL GET WORSE AS THE STORY PROGRESSES BUT HE CAN ALWAYS CONTROL HIMSELF SO YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM. ANOTHER ADDITION TO THE MYSTERY. **

**ANOTHER FREQUENT QUESTION IM GETTING IS ABOUT THE AGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BELLA AND EDWARD. YES, WITH HIM BEING 25 AND HER 18, THERE ARE SEVEN YEARS BETTWEEN THEM BUT THATS JUST ANOTHER HURTLE THEY WILL HAVE TO GET OVER. SOME OF YOU MIGHT FREAK OUT A LITTLE OVER THAT BUT IT WILL JUST SHOW HOW MATURE BELLA REALLY IS AND DON'T WORRY, SHE WON'T BE "CORRUPTED" BY THE BIG BAD EDWARD. **

**I THINK THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY**

**REVIEW AND COME BACK TOMORROW FOR MORE!**


	10. Chapter 9

Jungle Chase

EDWARD POV

_"Knavery and flattery are blood relations.__"-_A_braham Lincoln _

All things related to Twilight are owned by Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

"Is something wrong Edward?" Vienna asked me from across the table as we sat in the back of Carmel.

I didn't feel like answering her so I just kept taping my chopstick on the table.

It had been about an hour since Bella left with that fucking dude and I was about to go crazy. What were they doing? Was he touching her? Where they fucking in the back of some car?

I don't know why she had such a hold on me but it was starting to get annoying.

Tonight started out to be the perfect night. I had actually grown the balls to call up Vienna and ask her to dinner. It wasn't a date type of thing but exactly the opposite. I wanted to let her know that whatever she and I used to have, was completely over. The best way to let her down easy was to take her out to dinner so she couldn't make a scene like I knew she wanted. If I kept her calm, her craziness wouldn't be able to come out in public.

I had come into Carmel with the intentions of just talking to Vienna about ending our casual sex relationship that she somehow thought was still on but she was mistaken in the worse way. I guess she had a misshapen idea of what "sex" meant but that was okay because I wasn't planning on seeing her after tonight.

I put on my game face and was very stern with her because Vienna was basically a child that I had to scold. She didn't take it very well and started with the whole fake crying thing but I wasn't going to be fooled. Everything was going fine until that damned, spicy tuna roll suddenly landed on my table, right in between Vienna and I. She took that moment to go to the bathroom and I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on with this sushi that just plopped down in front of me.

I tried to tell the lady behind me that it was hers but she kept insisting that it wasn't. As soon as I heard the voice, I knew who it was. It was the voice that had been traveling in my head for the past week.

_She was here!_

I was surprised to say the least and was kind of mad. I wasn't prepared to see Bella right now but I would just have to improvise.

Once again, I tried all my moves but they still didn't work. It was like she had some kind of boundary up that was blocking me. That only made me more determined to get her. I slipped my business card into Bella's hand before she and the fucker left. I kept my cool while they were still here, but once they left, my pretenses fell.

I was agitated and annoyed.

What was so good about that douche that she would entertain him but not me? I looked ten times better than he did and I knew I was about a billion dollars richer. Why was she here with him? Is that what she likes? Scrawny, blond haired, college kids with acne and greasy hair? Bella obviously had some kind of mental issue that was preventing her from seeing that I was the one who should be taking her home tonight.

"Edward, look, I know you don't really like me but I feel this connection to you. I like having sex with you and I'm going to miss you. Don't push me away." Vienna said pathetically.

"Why are you still here?" I asked, letting the acid drip from my voice.

"I don't know. You never treated me right Edward. I hate that you just use me." She crossed her arms.

"Vienna, I told you that I just wanted sex and you still seem to think that you can change me. I'm not going to change for you or anyone for that matter. I don't want a relationship." I said slowly.

"I know, but…do we have to stop…" She moved her foot under the table so that it was positioned right in my crotch.

I grabbed her shoe and pushed it back down on the floor, "I have to stop with you because you can't seem to understand what I'm saying."

"We've always been friends though."

"Not anymore." I got up from the table, throwing a couple of hundreds down, "You can get yourself home, can't you?"

"I'm not your whore Edward."

"Yet you still take my money." I raised an eyebrow as I watched her hand snatch the bills from the table, "Goodbye Vienna." I turned my back on her and went through the restaurant, towards Jasper's office in the very back.

I passed the kitchen and scurrying waiters before I arrived at a heavy wooden door that looked completely out of place in the modern, Japanese style décor of Carmel. I pushed it open and found Jasper sitting at his desk on the phone. He held up a finger to signal me to wait and I plopped down in the chair opposite him, propping my feet up on the desk.

I opened up the jar on the table and pulled out a handful on jelly beans, only eating the green ones before putting the rest back. Jasper gave me his 'what the hell is wrong with you' look while writing furiously. He was on the phone with someone, talking about kobe beef so I assumed it had something to do with Carmel and not our other endeavors.

He hung up the phone after ten minutes and let out a deep breath, "I hate this place. All my other restaurants seem to go well but this one is going to give me gray hair."

"Maybe you're not running it right." I shrugged.

"Obviously." He deadpanned, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came in with Vienna, to set her down easy."

"Oh, you two were going out?"

"No. That's just the thing. She thinks we are but I had to set her straight. I figured it had to be somewhere public so she wouldn't create a scene."

"So you had to choose my place of business? What if she had stabbed someone?"

"Then I guess you would have had a law suit on your hands."

I debated on whether or not to tell Jasper about my encounter with Bella because I knew he would start asking questions that I wasn't prepared to answer but I also wanted to know what he would say about the whole thing.

"Guess who I saw out there?" I nodded towards the dining room.

"Who?" He asked as he lifted up papers on his desk.

"Bella."

He stopped moving and eyed me suspiciously, "Bella, from the club? My Swan?"

My lip twitched at his admission of 'My Swan'. If I had to, I would take him out before he got to Bella first. I would step over his dead body to have her. That was the hold she had on me and I didn't like it.

"Yeah, the one from Plasma." I clarified.

"Well, hot damn." He leaned back in his seat and crossed his hands behind his head, "What was little Swan doing in Carmel."

"She was on a date." I got out difficultly, "They left about an hour ago."

"Hmmmm." He thought, "Was that little girl with her, the one with the taser?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking about how hot it would be if she used that on me again." His eyes glazed over.

"Okay, that's weird but I thought you were into Bella?" I asked, trying to feel him out.

"I was but she's kind of…strange. She hot, don't get me wrong but I don't know what it is…she just…"

I knew exactly what he meant. Bella was strange. That was the only way to put it. She had something wrong about her. Maybe I was just saying that because she hadn't given into me yet but there was something more. I had never met any girl like her, who seemed to have as much going on in her head as I did in mine.

"I like that Alice girl though." Jasper said out loud, "She was cute."

"I don't really remember anything besides a hundred volts of electricity going through your body."

"That was a rush. When you see Bella again, tell her to drop my name to Alice."

"Okay…" I said slowly. He was acting kind of weird too but I let it go because we were all messed up in the head.

I went home that night and didn't know what to do with myself.

Usually on a Friday night, I would be out in the clubs, trying to find some girl to bring back to the penthouse but I didn't feel like it anymore. Bella had sucked the life out of me. She was so high on my 'top fuck' list that anything else was unacceptable. My other conquests would pale in comparison until I had Bella.

I tried to sleep but I don't know why. Since I was a teenager, I didn't really sleep. I just turned for the night while getting a few hours here and there. My old therapist said that it was because I had too much on my mind when I went to bed at night and even sleeping pills did little for me although they provided a good high sometimes.

The sun rose on Saturday morning and I rolled out of bed, with a body that felt like led. I trudged to the bathroom and did my very calculated and precise morning routine.

The good thing about not sleeping at night was that it gave me a hell of a lot of time to think about my fucked up life.

If I wanted Bella, which I did, I was going to have to find some other way of getting her. I had never really needed any advice on women before but I knew who to go to. Rose might act like a bitch but she knew her stuff so I figured she could help me out if I asked nicely.

I spent exactly twenty-seven minutes in the shower, shaving, washing my hair and body along with exfoliating my face. You won't find many men who admit to exfoliating but I was above feeling shamed of my normal regiment. I hated dirt and I would scrub the skin off of my face before I got a pimple.

I got out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my waist and then went into my closet that was lined with what looked like the entire Armani catalog. I couldn't help but smile as I pulled on a casual yet professional pair of light brown pants and then a pale green, almost mint, colored shirt. I rolled up the sleeves as usual and put on some Italian loafers before going back into the bathroom to complete my morning.

I brushed my teeth twice, until the water was a tinged a soft pink, signaling blood in my mouth. I put some gel in my hair and ran my hands through it, trying to tame the stray strands.

"Good." I appraised myself in the mirror before turning off the light, turning on the lights, and then turning them off again, and leaving my room.

_Don't judge me!_

I padded downstairs and looked around, trying to find something to do. I woke up at six on the dot each morning so I usually had to wait for the city to come alive before I did anything significant with my day. I looked in my fridge and cabinets to find anything to eat but there was absolutely nothing.

I rapped my fingers on the counter in my kitchen, thinking about what I was going to do with my day. I had a lot of financial records to go over but I didn't feel like it. I could make plans with my brothers to go to Plasma tonight but I didn't feel like it. I could go see my mother and father but I didn't feel like it. What I really wanted to do was take Rose out to lunch and pick her brain about women. I obviously needed a refresher course.

I settled for cleaning the sink in the kitchen. I saw a stain in the bottom and that wouldn't do. I got the supplies from the bathroom and spent a good hour, scrubbing the hell out of the basin until it sparkled so clean that I could eat out of it. After that, I was bored again.

I sat on my sofa, watching the news for about three hours but not really paying attention until the clock stuck an acceptable nine.

_She should be up by now, right?_

I tried my luck and called down a couple of floors to Emmett's apartment. It rang six times before someone picked up.

"_Hello? Who the hell is this?" _Emmett's gruff voice sounded on the other end.

"Me." I answered.

"_What do you want? It's Saturday and I'm not like you, I actually sleep." _

"I wanted to know if Rosalie was up. I need to talk to her."

"_My Rosie?" _

"Yes, your Rosie." I said sardonically.

"_She went to work out a couple of hours ago downstairs. What is it with you two? Doesn't anyone sleep in anymore?" _

"Not when you grow up jackass. People have things to do. Thanks." I hung up before we got into a battle and like a giddy child, went out of the door.

I got in the elevator and pressed the button for the basement floor, which held the gym to the building. It had three full sized swimming pools, a spa, steam rooms, basketball courts, tennis courts, racquetball rooms, a track, decked out gym and anything else I wanted to put in there. I wanted to have a place close by that I could use at all hours of the day and night since I often liked to run when I couldn't sleep.

I made it downstairs in a couple of seconds and had to stop myself from skipping out of the elevators. I felt a new since of excitement at finally cracking Bella's shell. I was determined to make her mine with any help I could get.

I was greeted with a head nod by the people who worked in the gym and they knew me so I didn't have to swipe a card key or anything like that. I just went through the locker rooms until I made it to the weight room, where I knew Rose was.

I spotted her on the elliptical with her blonde hair pulled it into a ponytail, workout shorts and a tank top. She had headphones and had worked up quite a sweat so I guessed she had been her for at least an hour.

I went around her and arrived in front of the machine where she was reading a magazine, climbing high on the elliptical.

I waved my hand in front of her but she didn't look at me.

"What do you want? You're bothering me." She snapped and turned the page.

"I need your help." I admitted.

She looked at me but didn't stop pumping her legs, "The great Edward Cullen needs help?"

"I know, shocker but yes."

"With what? I'm not doing any of your dirty work."

"I'm not asking you to. I just need…I'm having…girl problems." I said like I was a high school kid, trying to ask a girl out to his first prom but that's kind of how I felt.

"What the hell does that mean?" She took her headphones out.

"Can I take you to brunch? We can talk about it then." I stuffed my hands in my pockets.

She eyed me for a second, "Okay fine but if you're playing with me, I'll cut your balls off."

"Fair enough. Is an hour good enough for you?"

"Make it two. I need to go running after this."

"Alight." I left her alone to kill the machines and decided that since I was down here, I didn't want to go back upstairs so I left my building and walked into the city that was starting to liven up even on a Saturday. I didn't do anything but walk through the park that was near the apartment and looked around.

I saw women pushing strollers, men running with workout clothes, kids playing with baseballs and then couples. I never really noticed them before since I had no desire to be in a relationship but they seemed to be everywhere. Sitting on benches, reading to each other in the grass, walking hand-in-hand, laughing at stupid jokes. It was purely sickening but there was a sharp pang in my stomach that longed for something close to what they had.

I guess I was envious but I would never admit to it. I had never been "normal" so to be in a relationship wasn't an option for me. I couldn't bring an outsider into this life. It was hard for all of us although Emmett had Rosalie but that was only because she was already in on our life, being Carlisle's ex-secretary. It wouldn't be right for me to bring some poor girl into my world and subject her to the treachery that was Edward Cullen.

Inevitably and annoyingly, my mind went to Bella. What would we look like as a couple?

"Yeah right." It was almost laughable.

I made two circuits around the park before it was time to go back to my apartment. I checked my Rolex and saw that I was right on time.

Rose was sitting in one of the plush, modern, lounge chairs in the lobby.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked and stood as I approached.

"Anywhere you want. I need your help so…"

"That's right and I expect you to listen to me, especially if it has something to do with women."

"It sounds like you have a lot to get off of your chest."

"Oh I do Edward Cullen but we'll get to the heavy stuff later. I'm hungry." She stalked off towards the exit and I was regretting my decision already.

I followed her into the streets as she hailed a cab, getting in the back before it even stopped. She gave instructions for the driver to take us to the Flatwater Grill. We spent the drive not speaking because I truly didn't like Rosalie and the less time I spent talking to her, the better but I guess I had to be nice since I was coming to her for help.

We pulled onto the street fifteen minutes later and I paid the cab driver, telling him to keep the change before getting out with Rose following me. We went inside, still not really saying much to each other and a bubbly hostess led is through the restaurant that looked over the river.

We sat down and ordered coffee to wake up our minds. Once that came, I took it back, black as usual. We ordered food and then I waited.

I felt Rose cross her legs under the table but I didn't dare look at her.

"So, what's all this about? I don't buy your half-cocked story about girl problems." She began, her spoon clinking against the side of her coffee cup.

"Why? It's the truth."

She leaned forward, "Are you being serious?"

"Yes." I gritted.

She actually laughed at me, "I've known you for five years and I have never once been approached for help let alone with women. This is priceless. I can't wait to tell…"

"Don't tell Emmett." I cut her off, giving her a serious glare, "He would never let me live it down."

"I'll never let you live it down." She said under her breath as she took a sip of her coffee, "Okay, let's hear it."

I didn't really know how to say what I wanted without coming off sounding like a complete pussy.

"Let's say, hypothetically of course, that I tried to…"

"Fuck a girl?" She finished my sentence.

"Yes, thank you, fuck a girl but she is stubborn and inflexible to the point of pure annoyance."

"What, your normal tricks aren't working?" She took another sly sip of her coffee.

"No."I nearly growled, "She's infuriating."

"Have you ever thought that she's not the normal type of slut trash you usually pick up?"

"Watch it, you were one of those sluts once upon a time."

"I know and I'm ashamed every time I think about it. You played me like a fiddle." She squinted her eyes at me, "Thankfully, I could have cared less when I found Emmett. Otherwise, I would have taken a kitchen knife to your dick."

"We're getting off topic, what's going on? Is my magic disappearing? I bet she's messed up in the head, a lesbian?" I asked jokingly but I really was concerned.

"So let me get this straight, because a girl isn't giving into you and has the smarts to see past your tricks, she's messed up? You're unbelievable. A pig is what you are." She sat back in the booth.

"I'm not a pig, well yes I am but this girl…the way she acts towards me is why I have to have her. She's pushing me away but I can feel…" I wanted to say something else but I didn't know what.

Rose tilted her head at me inquisitively.

"What?" I wiped my face, thinking that I had something on it.

"You want to have sex with this girl and that's it?"

"Yes." I answered quickly, "She just has to let me in."

"How many times have you met her?"

"Just three and most of the time, she's falling over or passed out." I smiled at the thought of the first night I saw Bella and then again last night. Clumsy Bella.

"Three times and she still hasn't given in? Oh what will you do?" Rose said dramatically.

"Shut up and give me some advice."

"For a man who's slept with probably a thousand women, you know absolutely nothing about us."

"Obviously."

"Have you ever thought that maybe she just doesn't like you?"

"Impossible." I took a sure sip of my coffee.

"Okay, ignoring that extremely narcissistic comment, have you ever thought that _you_ need to change?"

"I don't change."

"You already have." She snickered.

"What does that mean?" I snapped.

"Think about it Edward. You look worse than usual and you're about to pull your hair out over a girl. What does that tell you?"

I stayed silent as I thought.

_What did that tell me?_

"It means that you have more than a sexual attraction to this woman. What's her name?"

"Bella."

"Well, Bella must be special." She spoke like I was a child, "You're chasing her and not just chasing but jungle chasing."

"Jungle chasing?"

"That's what I like to call it when you think off of instinct, like an animal in the wild. Let me guess, she's making you so mad that you just want to scream and you can't think of what else to do to get her to fall into you traps. She's forcing you to change your habits and you can't stop thinking about her." Rose was hitting the nail right on the head and she knew it.

I still stayed silent.

"You're in total jungle chase mode. This is hilarious." Rose said loudly.

"Shut up."

"You can't even see it can you?" She shook her head, "As much as you know about women, I know more about men and let me tell you, you're fucked. This girl is smart and whoever she is, knows not to fall for your stupid antics. I can't wait to meet her."

"You're never going to meet her. Just one fuck and she's gone." I said as firmly as I could.

"Do you think that's going to be enough? Just one fuck?"

"Yes."

"Let me tell you right now, you're a junkie to her drug and as much as you think this Bella is falling for you, she has her hooks so far into you, it's amusing."

"What are you saying?" My whole mind was racing.

"She has you in the palm of her hand. I have to meet her."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. Stop making stuff up."

"This is pure lion, alpha male behavior."

"Just because you majored in psychology doesn't give you the right to analyze me." I got defensive.

"Just think of this like the jungle. Usually, you're the lion and the poor girl you decided to hunt is the gazelle. I think you've met your match. Bella sounds strong and is challenging you. How many times have you tried your tricks?"

"Twice." I admitted.

"And she still hasn't fallen? Oh she's good." Rose smirked, "You're screwed."

"I am not and I'll show you that I just need one fuck before I let her go. The problem is, I don't know how to get her that far."

"Well, I'm not going to help you break this girl's heart. I won't."

"I just need to know what I'm doing wrong."

"You're acting like you." She said with an eye roll.

"And? Is there any way else to act?"

"Why don't you try being a real gentleman for once? That works."

"I am a gentleman."

"No you're not. You have this condescending tone about you that just gives off dominance. It's the alpha lion trying to get out but now you've been challenged. You don't know what to do with yourself." Rose stated very surly.

"I do so, I just…need help. Bella is…different from other girls."

"Why don't you try doing what a boy would do if he wanted a girlfriend."

"Don't use that word. I don't want a relationship with this girl, I just want a quick fuck." That had become sort of my mantra over the course of this brunch.

"That's what you say now but have you really stopped to think about this? You're chasing her. You've never done that before. Is she that special?" Rosalie leaned in.

"Yes…no…I don't know." I stammered.

"This is priceless. You're like a little gazelle. The tables have turned Edward and if you don't step up to the plate, you're going to lose Bella." She smirked very devilishly.

"So what, be nice to her, treat her right until she gives me what I want?"

"A normal man wouldn't put this much effort into a quick roll in the sheets so I'm going to go along with this until you come to your senses but yes, that's the gist of it. Flatter her, do nice things for her, take her out on dates, like a normal man. I know you've done that before."

"Not without a guarantee of a lay afterwards."

"Well then I guess you're just going to have to take a chance on her."

"I don't take chances on things I'm not certain about."

"Play her game because she's obviously playing you."

"She's not playing me." I growled again, "I'm in control."

"Whatever you say Edward."

As our waffles appeared in front of us, I heard the jungle drums beating in my head.

If it was a game I had to play to get Bella, then that was what I was going to do.

_Just one fuck! That was all I was asking for. _

* * *

**HOLY MIND FUCK BATMAN**

**EDWARD IS SO MESSED UP, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HIMSELF. CAN YOU FEEL SYMPATHY FOR THE POOR GUY? I CAN BUT THEN AGAIN, I CAN'T. HE'S STARTING TO MESS ME UP. GOSH!**

**ANYWAY, NOT MUCH TO SAY TONIGHT. **

**GO REVIEW AND THEN COME BACK LATER IN THE WEEK FOR MORE. **

**PS-THE NEXT CHAPTER IS MY FAVORITE:)**


	11. Chapter 10

War of the Roses

BELLA POV

"_Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense."-Mark Overby_

All things related to Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I looked up at the ceiling of my dorm room and tried to count sheep but my brain wouldn't shut down.

It was Monday night, three days after I last saw Edward and I was still milling over every detail in my head.

Why is it that every single time I try to be good, really good, it always blows up in my face? I had made an effort to keep away from Edward in my thoughts all of last week. I couldn't really control what I dreamed about but that was a different story. I had tried to keep my thoughts pure of his devilish looks but he found me.

I didn't know if it was purposeful or not but Edward didn't seem as shocked to see me as I was to see him. He kind of acted the same way he did at the fountain. Like everything was planned and he was trying to have an end goal with me. He made that known when he slipped me his business card and basically recruited me to join his harem but it was all just a game to him.

Maybe it was for me as well but somewhere deep in my blood, I knew that this attraction I had for Edward was more than just physical. Of course, with a man like that, there was no changing him and it wasn't my job to try. If he just wanted sex then I wasn't going to deny him, That's what I would love to say but I wasn't some slut who slept with a man she just met last week.

Besides, Edward wasn't worth it.

I wasn't looking for a relationship per se but that was better than a roll in the hay one time before getting dumped on my ass. Even as I was saying it, I could feel my mental walls crumbling. I was walking a very thin line that was a dangerous one. I had to make sure to stay away from Edward because he could trap me, let me fall into his web and I couldn't afford that.

If I took his game seriously, I could end up getting really hurt.

I didn't want to sound like some weak, hormonal girl who didn't know that she was getting played but Edward was a hard catch to deny. I could even see that. He was majestic in his movements, sexual in everything he did. His walk, his speech, his hair, his fingers, his eyes. Oh God, his eyes were the killer, those things would take me down without a doubt.

His whole persona was about conquering women and making them his. I bet he had a list as long as the Great Wall but none of them would mean more to him than a quick fuck.

I rubbed my eyes and thought for a second what it must be like to live in his shoes.

What the hell kind of man was he that he had to bang a different girl every night?

I had a solid background in psychology since I wanted to be one for all my life until I realized that my money situation didn't allow me to spend six years in school. I had studied books and spent a good amount of time reading up on human brains.

From my experience or lack thereof, I would probably deter that Edward had insecurity issues just like the guys in high school. Or maybe Edward had been turned down so much in his younger years that he was trying to make up for it now. He was obviously narcissistic, egotistical and in need of constant attention.

What if someone turned the tables on him?

"That would be priceless." I laughed to myself, thinking about how taken off guard he would be.

If I was strong enough for it, I would lead him on and give into his advances but at the very last second, flip out and switch to positions, making me the dominant one. He would probably be floored but that would only make him want me more. What I wouldn't give for that. For him to want me like I wanted him? My libido would never catch up.

I would let him play his tricks with me, thinking that he was winning but the whole time, I would have the upper hand.

"Why can't I? I could pull this off." I muttered out loud.

I would lure him in. Maybe I would sleep with him, maybe I wouldn't but I would be the one to chose how this would play out, not him. I could leave him high and dry or I could go all the way, which I probably would but not before making him suffer. He was going to have to chase me and I would make him work for it. What the hell was he going to do with himself once he realized I wasn't as easy as the rest of his big titted, whores. Poor Edward.

I knew my plan was bitchy and incredibly mean but it was guys like Edward that made me sick. I wouldn't have even given him the time of day if he wasn't so drop dead gorgeous. With the way he acted, it was like an automatic turn off. Maybe I couldn't change him but I could sure give him a dose of his own medicine.

He probably thought that I was some withering flower who would just fall on my knees for him and I hate to admit that I probably would have if he wasn't such a jerk.

He had probably always been in control but he had never met Bella Swan. To be perfectly honest, I didn't have that much experience in dating but I learned a few things over the years dealing with high school douche bags. Mike also taught me a lot and since we never had any kind of real relationship, he used every trick in the book on me to try to get me to sleep with him until I eventually caved. I would have to thank him the next time we talked.

Game on!

That night, for the first time in a week, I actually slept a full eight hours without moving or dreams of Edward.

When my alarm clock beeped at seven, I stretched and detected a small smile on my lips.

If I could keep up my act, Edward was going to get played like nothing he had ever experienced.

I had a certain bounce in my step as I got out of bed, went to take a quick shower and then found something to wear for the day. Maybe it was the fact that I had a new found mission or maybe it was the fact that Alice had all but wiped out my closet, but I wanted to wear something new and nice.

I chose a pair of dark washed, skinny jeans and a light green, short sleeved Polo that was starched and clean. I was tempted to wear a pair of the heels Alice had bought me just to show her that I could but decided against that. I just pulled on a simple pair of Keds and then brushed through my hair.

By the time I was done getting ready and had all my stuff together, it was time to meet Alice for breakfast downstairs. I threw my backpack over my shoulders and went out of the door, heading towards the elevator with more vigor than I had experienced since I got here.

I made it downstairs and found Alice sitting on a bench outside of the dining hall with a book in hand.

"Hi, don't talk. I have to finish this page." She said quickly as we continued to walk.

I noticed that she was reading Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorites but I followed her orders. We went through a line filled with bagels and morning pastries. I picked up things for the both of us since Alice was busy with her studying. She shut the book when we sat down at a table and then let out a deep breath.

"I have a huge test today but I think I've got it in the bag."

"That sounds promising." I took a bite of a danish.

Alice eyed me suspiciously, "Okay, what's going on? You look…different."

"Nothing. I just had a great sleep last night."

"No more Edward sex dreams?"

"No. He wasn't there." I answered simply.

"Why? Did you kill him in your head?" She giggled.

"Something like that." The evil grin was back on my face but I hid it from her.

We finished breakfast quickly and then parted ways to go to our separate classes.

I went to my first math class and just sat there while the professor droned on about polynomials and easy equations. I had always been good at math so this wasn't too difficult.

Since today was Monday that meant I only had two classes, math and my literature one later on in the day. Northwestern had a weird schedule that was different from other universities in that its packed classes were on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday schedule and those were the days when we had the most classes. Mondays and Thursdays were used by students to search for job opportunities once we got into upper level years.

I was convinced that this schedule system was just a way for students to sleep off their hangovers from the weekend but it seemed to work for the staff as well so no one was complaining.

I sat on the grass in a quad that overlooked part of the river that flowed through the campus.

Many people didn't know this but the main campus of Northwestern wasn't in Chicago but in Evanston , a suburb on the north side of the city. It was closer to downtown than some of the other suburbs of the city. It was only a ten minute cab ride to some of the sights and around this area was where the rich families lived who had old railroad money or oil deposits in Texas.

It made me slightly jealous but I got over that quickly.

I pulled out my copy of The Jungle and prepared to dive headfirst into the gore and filth of early 20th century Chicago when I felt my phone vibrate in my jeans. I had decided to start carrying it around for some reason but since I barely knew anyone, it hardly rang.

I pulled it out of my pocket and stared at the number. I didn't recognize the digits and debated for three rings on whether or not to answer it. My curiosity eventually took over and I opened the phone, holding it to my ear.

"Hello."

"_Uh…hi. Is this Bella?_" I heard the smooth, cold, voice of Edward Cullen on the other side.

"Yes." I answered, my smirk from this morning back on.

This was better than I could have expected. Edward wanted me, that I knew but he had initiated contact meaning that he wanted me bad. I was about to turn his world around.

"_How are you?"_ He asked in an awkward way.

He was nervous. Could he be nervous?

I put on an annoyed voice that I had to muster up from the depths of my throat, "I'm fine. Can I help you?"

"_Uh…no. I was just wondering if you got home safely the other night." _

"Yes I did all thanks to Tyler. We had a great time."

I heard him grumble something under his breath but it was indistinguishable.

He was acting like this was high school, which was perfect for my plan. I figured he had never been in this position before, therefore he didn't know how to treat me. He wanted to fuck me but didn't know how to get me that far. This was going to be fun.

"_How's school going?"_ His voice was stronger than before and I suspected that he gave himself a little pep talk before opening his mouth again.

"Good. I'm adjusting well and I like my classes." I talked with clipped answers, like we had never had any interaction before.

"_That's good…I guess." _

There were a couple seconds of silence and I almost burst out laughing. This poor man had no idea what he was doing, which told me that he was used to getting what he wanted on the first go.

"Is there a reason why you called?" I asked very bitchy-like. It hurt me to treat him this way but then I thought about how he treated me at the fountain, at Carmel. I wasn't a piece of trash, damn it.

"_I…I…"_ He stammered for the right words and I thought I heard a female voice on the other end. Now that I listened harder, I could definitely hear her.

I smiled and evil grin. He was being coached. Oh, he thought he was going to win. I think not!

"_I was wondering if I could take you out to dinner."_ Edward gritted through his teeth.

"Edward, I have to go to class but I don't think so." I shut the phone before he had the chance to say anything back.

I threw my hands up in the air and lay back on the grass.

"Phase one complete." I shouted. I'm sure some people looked at me weird but at this point, I was done caring.

Edward was a persistent man and even from the few times I had met him, I could figure out that he didn't give up on challenges.

I was proven right when he called back every half hour, on the half hour for the rest of the day. I was going to accept his date but I had to hold him off and make him wait. I even thought to go as far as to bruise his ego and call him, accepting that way but that might be taking it too far. I didn't want to overstep my bounds.

I didn't let Alice in on my little game because I knew she would jump for joy and try to weasel her way in. That would only confuse me and I needed a clear head for this. I could plan Edward's war from his side to a simple equation.

I felt like I knew him.

He was going to "play" me until I whittled down and gave in to his scams. He would then proceed to impress me with his money or charm. I would act like it was working and then he would think that he was winning. When it came to go home, he would probably believe that I was going up to bed with him but I was going to string this out for awhile and milk him for all he was worth.

My willpower wasn't that strong and in about a week or so, I would probably let him have his way with me but it was going to be on my terms. That way, neither of us would get hurt and he would get a taste of what he dishes out on a regular basis.

I felt like an evil scientist in my lap, devising plans to take over the world.

That night, after I had done a fair amount of studying and completed my routine for bed, I decided to answer when he called next, which was exactly on the dot at ten. I suspected that this was his last call of the night and if I didn't get this one, I would miss him.

I waited for a couple of seconds before answering, "Hello?"

"_Bella, is that you?"_ Edward sounded actually hopeful.

"Yes, sorry I haven't been answering but I was in class and then I had a study session in the library afterward. I didn't get home until about ten minutes ago."

"_I was busy also so it wasn't a big deal."_He played it off, _"So…how was your day?"_

"Fine, nothing exciting. You?"

"_It was alright. I spent most of it wondering how to ask you out again so that you won't say no." _I could practically see his smirk over the phone. The Edward Cullen that I knew was back. Gone away was the awkward voice from before and in its place was arrogance.

"And have you found out a way to do that yet?"

"_You're a very peculiar girl Ms. Swan." _

"How did you know my last name?" I asked, slightly perturbed that he was winning this battle.

"_I have my ways but like I was saying, you a very strange. I have to admit that I have never had to go this far for a girl before." _

"I figured." I said.

"_You've provided quite the challenge but I'm willing to play. I would like to take you to dinner." _

"I can't…"

"_Yes you can. Tomorrow. I'll pick you up." _

"I don't…"

"_Is eight good for you? No, I think seven would be better." _

"No… I already have plans and…"

"_No you don't and stop trying to fight me." _

"You don't even know where I live."

"_Leave that to me. I'll see you tomorrow night at seven."_ He hung up the phone quickly while I sat stunned with mine still on my ear.

This provided an issue.

I never expected him to come back so strongly but that was okay. I wasn't planning on letting him take me down so quickly. I probably would have really gone out with him if I didn't have to study tomorrow night. I had a massive test the next day so my excuse was legit but he never gave me a chance to explain.

I shrugged off the loss and went to bed. Once again, my dreams were void of nightmares.

I woke up the next morning and went about my schedule as normal. I was ready to go by seven-thirty and opened my door to a sight that made me blush ten times the shade of hell.

There opposite my door on the other side of the wall was a bushel of bright yellow roses situated in an elaborate crystal vase. There must have been about twenty of them stuffed in there, all in full bloom with the petals open in the most beautiful way. There was a note attached to the vase.

I slowly approached the roses and read the card.

_I am looking forward to dinner tonight. You'll have to look up what yellow means in the rose world yourself. _

_-Edward_

That was all it said and it was slightly eerie in its simplicity. I looked around the hall, and nearly called the police.

Last I checked, we had some pretty tight security in this dorm and not just anyone could walk up. I suppose Edward could have had the night prompter at the desk downstairs bring them up but that seemed out of character for him. What the hell did I know though? I had only met the man three times.

I quickly picked the flowers up off of the floor and took them back into my room, setting them on the desk near the window.

I picked a rose out of the center of the bunch and couldn't help but smile as I pressed it to my nose.

_No, Bella!_

I set it back in the bunch and assessed the situation I was in. He was good, very good. I didn't know if he was fighting this war fairly or not but I suspected he wasn't. The roses were a nice gesture and he was winning this battle as well. That I did not like.

As much as I still wanted to hate Edward, I had to admit that he was playing this game very well.

I booted up my laptop and did a simple Google search for 'yellow roses'. The main words that popped up were joy, gladness, friendship, delight but one phrase caught me off guard: promise of a new beginning.

I pulled my bottom lip in between my teeth and thought for a second.

That was all it took, one second, for my walls to crumble. All these thoughts of 'what if' came into my head. What if this wasn't a game for him? What if he really did like me? What if he was trying to be a better person? What if, what if, what if…

As much talk as I was spitting, Edward either knew exactly what he was doing or had a really good coach. He was knifing his way into my brain. I had taken on a little too much for me to handle but now that I was on this train, I couldn't jump off.

"You have to stay strong. You can't fall for him." I ran my hands through my hair, "You can do this." I sighed and nodded to myself.

I turned off my computer and took another glance at the roses before leaving my room.

I met Alice this morning with a more subdued nature than I had yesterday.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked as we walked to the dining hall.

"I talked to Edward last night." I decided to let her in somewhat.

"Really?" She stopped walking, "What did he want?"

"He asked me out to dinner tonight." I said apprehensively.

"Oh my God. He did?"

I nodded, "And then this morning, there were some yellow roses outside of my door, in the hall. They were from him."

Alice covered her mouth with her hand, "That is so sweet. He likes you."

"Don't jump the gun Alice. He treats girls like shit. I bet he does this to all of them." I said as we got in line for food. I wasn't hungry this morning so I just got orange juice.

"Still, he's making an effort. That has to mean something, right?"

"I guess." I answered.

The whole day, I was on pins and needles because I didn't know if I should call Edward and explain or just leave him hanging tonight, waiting for me to come out for our date. As much as I wanted to embarrass him that way, it just seemed like too much.

Around lunch, I called the number that he had used last night and picked at some grass that I was sitting on. I didn't really know what I was going to say but I hoped he would understand that I wasn't trying to blow him off. Well…I was…but…

I've got myself in way too deep!

Edward was a pro at this and I figured that he knew I was playing with his emotions so he decided to participate in the most confusing way. He was turning that tables on me and that was not good.

He didn't pick up when I called at lunch or an hour later when I tried so I left him a message saying that I was really sorry about foiling his plans for the night but I had a test to study for and couldn't make it. Edward didn't call me back at all that day, making my nerves go haywire.

Did he care that I couldn't make it? Had he given up on me?

It was completely insane how he had turned things around in a day. I had gone from my confident bitch-self to the confused hormonal teenager that I was.

Alice picked my brain for the rest of the day, asking about what I was going to do. She said that I needed to forget about studying and just go out with Edward but I was a better student than that.

The only problem was that I couldn't study, not with my mind racing that night. I sat at my desk and watched as the clock on my laptop went from six-fifty nine to seven. I half expected Edward to jump through my window or knock on my door but there was nothing.

_Seven. _

_Eight. _

_Nine. _

_Ten. _

_Eleven. _

Not a call or anything to tell me whether or not Edward had accepted my apology for canceling our date.

The next morning, I woke up a little more down than I had been the previous days. Before I even went about my day, something told me to check in the hallway. I jumped out of bed and nearly ripped the door off its hinges.

There, just like they were yesterday morning, were a bushel of yellow roses in another glass vase. I smiled to myself as I picked them up and brought them into my room. The note was as simple as before.

_So sad that we couldn't meet up last night. Tonight, same time? If I don't hear from you then I'll assume that's a no. Good luck on your test. _

_-Edward_

I put the flowers next to the ones from yesterday and compared them. They were both beautiful and had long stems. I picked up a yellow rose from today's batch and smelled it deeply. It was sweet and floral without being overpowering. There was still some dew on the petals meaning that they must have been delivered right before I work up.

I was about to lay the rose back in its place when a thorn from the stem, cut my index finger, drawing a small amount of red liquid. I was usually repulsed by blood, like that night at Plasma but I didn't feel any pain or uneasiness now. Instead, I let the blood run from my finger, over the full petals of the rose I was holding, staining the yellow petal a pink color.

"What are you doing to me Edward?" I asked myself and thought about the trouble he was going through for me.

I didn't realize I was such a hot commodity but I guess I was. Two bushels of roses in two days. What a risk to take for a lay that might or might not happen.

I decided before I left for the day that I would call Edward and accept his invitation to dinner.

I called as I was walking to my first class but he didn't pick up. I left a message and was suddenly giddy. I reminded myself that Edward was a complete playboy who was just trying to fuck the life out of me but I was sure that I could hold him off until I was ready. I was still planning on winning this war, no matter how sweet or falsely sweet he was being. He called me back when I was in class and I was tempted to get up to answer it, but I didn't. We played phone tag all day and I eventually just gave up, leaving him a final message that I would be ready to go at seven.

I didn't have to ask Alice twice to help me get ready and she jumped over the table to hug me at lunch when I told her.

"Even though I'm mad at you for not giving me any warning, I'm so happy." She clapped her hands when she sat back down in her seat across from me.

"It's just dinner so nothing too fancy."

"You have a boyfriend." She mocked in a playful voice.

"That is exactly what I don't have. Edward is just a venue for sex. I know what he wants from me, he's told me and once he realizes that that's all we have, he can leave me alone."

_That was what I was afraid of. _

"I don't think so. He likes you. I have a sixth sense about these things." She tapped her temple, "I just know."

"I don't think you do. You'll see. After we get a couple good fucks out of our system, it's going to be over."

"When do you plan on letting him get that far? Hopefully not on the first try?" She hitched her eyebrow.

"I didn't budge the first two times he asked and I plan on keeping a little dignity. Maybe a week…does that sound good?"

"You're better than me. I would have jumped his bones in an instant. I don't care if that makes me a slut." She shrugged.

"I just need to make it past a couple of dinners, feel him out. I think he just expects me to roll over."

"Let me guess, you're trying to teach him a lesson." She rolled her eyes.

"Is that bad?"

"Stop kidding yourself Bella. Men like him rarely lose at this kind of thing and I can see it in your eyes. He's getting to you." She pushed herself up from the table, "See you tonight."

I held my head in my hands and tried to convince myself that Edward wasn't winning this but the truth couldn't be denied.

The rest of the day went well, the only problem being Tyler who thought that he could ask me out again since our last date was thwarted. I told him no and moved across the room in my literature class so he wouldn't be tempted to talk to me.

I got home at five and Alice was sitting on my bed, reading a magazine. She didn't even speak as she pointed to the bathroom. I jumped in the shower and made sure that I washed twice, shaved everything that needed it, and soaked my hair in shampoo.

I was jittery and nervous about this because as much as I wanted to break Edward's bad boy ways, I knew that it would only take a little for him to break me instead.

I sat in front of my mirror as Alice blow dried and styled my hair into a messy side bun. She seemed to like that style on me and was testing it out like I was a Barbie doll. On this occasion, I needed all the help I could get.

She did my makeup lightly, saying that I didn't need much and left me to put on my underwear. When I was done, I went into my room where she had a full spread laid out. I silently put on what she had for me.

The dress had a tag that said Herve Leger and it was a dark blue, not navy but royal color that looked amazing against my skin. It was a bandaged dress as Alice called it so it hugged my body all the way down to where it stopped a couple inches above the knee, making sure to show off what little figure I had. The sleeves were capped and the neckline was asymmetrical, cutting across my collarbone at an angle. It was very sexy without being slutty. There was a small cutout in a diamond shape in the back to show off some skin and I thought Edward would like a little enticement for tonight. Once again, the dress probably cost more than my life so I didn't ask.

The shoes were slightly frightening with their five inch heels but I had begun to actually enjoy being taller. That's not to say that I liked wearing scary, high shoes all the time but Alice was starting to convert me. Tonight's pair were white pumps that were closed toed and had a good inch raise on the front of them. I was still short as hell but I was trying so that must count for something.

"You and your boyfriend are going to have such a good time." Alice circled me and placed a purse in my hands.

"He's not my boyfriend. Just one week of this and I'm through." I stood up straight, turning to see myself in the mirror.

She just shook her head and mumbled something to herself.

"I think I'm ready." I said and put on a silver watch that used to belong to Renee but she gave it to me when I moved away. I only wore it sometimes.

"Hold on." Alice jumped to my desk and plucked a yellow rose out of the bunch, perfectly clipping the stem off with her nails.

"What are you doing?" I asked and tried to move away from her.

"It will show that you actually appreciate what he did for you. Come here." She placed the rose in my side bun and then back away, proud of her efforts.

"I hope he doesn't get the wrong idea with all of this." I grumbled.

"You'll do fine. Now go out there and get your man." She pushed me out of the door.

"Stop calling him that." I said when she shut the door, "You better be gone by the time I come back." I said from the other side and then stalked off towards the elevators.

I got in with a group of guys who looked like they were going out to a bar. I stood in the corner tapping my heel as we went down the floors. They kept looking at me and saying things under their breath.

"Is there a problem?" I snapped.

"No. We were just rating you." A guy nodded to me.

"Rating me?"

"Yeah, you're between a nine and ten. We're not sure yet."

"Disgusting." I said to myself and just kept my eyes forward.

The elevator doors finally dinged at the first floor and I went out quickly, checking my watch. It was seven exactly and the sun was still in the sky but about to set.

I stepped into the light and looked completely out of place among the jean dressed and tee shirt wearing college population. I decided to just wait for Edward because I figured he would make himself known. I sat on a bench under a tree and crossed my legs. As soon as my butt hit the stone, I heard the thundering engine of a car coming down the street and saw a cherry red sports car emerge, trying to honk its way past the slow students who were staring.

"Of course." I shook my head as I saw Edward behind the wheel.

He pulled to a screeching halt in front of me and my green eyed fantasy steeped out of the car, looking more like a model than a real estate agent.

Edward was in head-to-toe labels. Alice would be proud.

He had on a navy blue, pin-striped suit with pants that fit him to a T and an open dinner jacket with a light blue shirt underneath. The top few buttons were undone, showing off a sprinkle of chest hair and his shoes were gleaming in the setting sun. He had on a pair of black Ray Ban sunglasses and his hair was more tamed but still unruly.

He spotted me in the seat that I hadn't moved from and sauntered over to me with too much authority and a grin. He didn't say anything as he took my hand and lifted it smoothly to his lips. A jolt of fire went through my body at his touch and I was determined to make it at least a week before I gave in but it was going to be hard.

"Hello, beautiful." Were his first words and I swear to God that I almost ripped open my dress right there so that he could just take me.

Instead of showing my lust, I decided that bitchiness would be the best way to go so I replied with a, "Could you be more cliché?"

"I knew you would appreciate the extreme gesture." He waved his hand towards his car, "And I see you got the roses?" He pointed to my hair and tugged on my hand, lifting me off of the bench.

"Yes, they were very nice." I said a little too professionally but I didn't know how to act.

He was being nice but I knew there was an end goal so I didn't let him sneak his way in.

"I feel so bad that we couldn't go out sooner." He started leading me towards his car that had a few people around it. His hand was on the small of my back and I literally felt the wetness flood in between my legs.

Stay strong!

"I'm sorry about that. I had to study last night so…"

"No, I understand. I wouldn't want you to miss out on your studies especially since you are in such a critical point in your educational career."

I looked up at him weirdly.

"You're a junior, right? Isn't that when you start looking for job opportunities and master's programs?"

Shit!

"Oh, right. I've been so busy, I forgot." I lied smoothly.

The car beeped and the people around it scattered.

"Very nice car." I admired the sleek beast.

"Just one of many, beautiful." His pet name was warming my heart but I kept my mind running at full speed so that I wouldn't get confused.

Edward opened the door to his million dollar car and it went straight up into the air, not out vertically like a normal car door would.

"Wow." I said, slightly impressed and could tell that Edward loved my reaction. I mentally scolded myself for letting him affect me.

"That's only the half of it." He whispered into my ear before helping me into the car.

He closed the door and I used the time he was walking around to his side, to get some sanity back into my body.

_This was going to be harder than I thought!_

He got into the car smoothly and closed his door. The car didn't even need a key to start, he just pushed a button on the dashboard and it came to life with a rumble.

"So…where are we off to?" I asked, tying not to be too impressed by his vehicle that I realized could be a very Freudian way of showing off the rather large dick that I guessed was under those pants.

"I've been planning this date for a long time so I wanted to make it special." He took off his sunglasses and looked at me. My whole body tingled from his green irises. Good thing the tinted windows of the car weren't letting much light in or I might not make it if I had to see them fully illuminated.

I realized that it was time to stop acting so mousy around him. On his biography from the 'Chicago's Sexiest Bachelors' list, it said that he liked a confident woman. He already liked me but I wanted to pull him in further.

"You've been planning this for a long time?" I inquired skeptically, "You can't like me that much."

"On the contrary Bella." He sped off down the street with one hand on the wheel, leaning back in a very sexy way, "I find you fascinating and really intriguing. I just can't leave you alone." His voice was dripping with innuendo.

"Well then, I shouldn't have kept you waiting."

"That's what I was trying to say but you're a stubborn little thing. I realized that the only way to get what I want is to treat you more appropriately."

"Your coach must have trained you right." I propped my head on my hand and watched him, gazed at him, got mesmerized by him.

"My coach?" He chuckled.

"Yeah. I wouldn't expect you to really know anything about romance."

"Wrong again, beautiful. My mother raised three very romantic men. We might not always show it but we know how to woo." He smirked at me.

"So why do you act like such a dick." It slipped out before I had a chance to catch my words but I didn't regret them.

"Because I can." He said simply and then raised the speed of the car to a steady one hundred. I would have normally been freaking out but something about him made me feel calm.

"Where are we going? You're not trying to kill me are you?" I laughed and sat back in the black leather seat.

"If I wanted you dead, you already would be." He said jokingly but something about his tone told me he was serious. That was kind of scary, "I've rented us a boat."

"Rented us a boat?"

"Let me rephrase, it's my boat but I had to rent a captain. I would normally man the thing myself but I will be romancing you all night so I won't have the time." He ran his hand through his hair, almost causing my libido to explode.

"You're a man of James Bond-like proportions, aren't you? Fast cars, boats, obvious money coming out of your butt."

"James Bond wishes he were me." Edward sped up again, swerving through slower cars on the highway.

I didn't ask where we were going again but I recognized that we were heading in the direction of Lake Michigan. It took us fifteen more minutes of deathly, silent driving before we arrived at our destination.

"What's this?" I asked as he slowed the car into a parking lot.

"This…is the marina. All the boats dock here." He turned off the car and quickly got out. With lightening speed, he was at mine and opened it for me, taking my hand in his. The fire from his touch was back but I ignored it.

I straightened out my dress when I got out of the low car and Edward waited for me to re-fix myself before leading me towards the docks where more than one hundred boats were bobbing in the water. The sun was behind the clouds, almost behind the horizon, casting deep colors of pink and purple over the sky.

"This is where all the rich guys bring their boats after a weekend in the water." Edward snickered, "You should see them in the summer. It's pathetic."

"You're one of those rich men, are you not?" I grinned at him as he helped me down the stairs of the dock. I was actually surprised I hadn't fallen yet in my pumps.

"Through my father, yes. You'll soon learn that everyone in this circle has more to hide than what's on the surface." He said cryptically. Everything about this man was mysterious and that was just pulling me in further.

We made it to the wooden pier, with boats on either side of us.

"Which one is your's or your father's I should say?"

"My father just gave me the resources to make my own money. I own what's mine." He corrected me.

"A self made man, I like." I said stupidly.

He laughed, "I'm glad you approve, beautiful."

He kept his hold on me, which had went from the small of my back to my waist but I made sure he didn't dip lower towards my hips. We walked, our shoes making soft noises on the wood until we came to a massive boat, no yacht, at the end of the wharf.

"Please tell me this isn't your's." I walked in front of it and looked like a dwarf compared to the enormous ship. It was like standing in front of the Spanish Armada.

"Bella, I would like to introduce you to Capriccio." He patted the side of the smooth white painted yacht.

"Edward, this is amazing." I awed, all pretenses of trying to sound unimpressed were thrown out of the window.

"I bought it after I graduated Harvard Business." He crossed his arms and watched me circle the boat.

"Harvard? " I raised an eyebrow, "Your arrogance is showing."

"Your beauty is showing." He shot back. Even though it was probably the cheesiest thing I had ever heard, I blushed like the devil in heat. Something told me that the real Edward, the man underneath all of the wealth, would have said that same thing.

My new goal: find the man under the money.

I still kept up my blasé attitude towards him and rolled my eyes, "Just help me up on this thing Casanova."

The steps to the yacht were right at the pier line, so I didn't have to step very high but Edward wouldn't let go of me as we went up onto the deck of the boat that was illuminated by soft lighting from the floorboards and over head.

"What's all this." I whispered to him as I saw a waiting staff with pressed suits and pearly white smiles.

"They're all helping me romance you since I can't do it myself." Edward whispered back with a grin.

"Good evening, Ms. Swan." An older gentleman with a white beard tipped his head to me, "My name is Jerry and I'll be your guide for the evening." He clapped his hands and the staff quickly spread out, going to do different things, "Would you like a tour?" He offered me his arm and I took it.

The yacht in question was a Lazzara LSX 92, which Edward was quick to point out when I asked. He stayed behind Jerry and I, letting us walk ahead as we went on the tour but I would glance back at him sometimes and he would always have a warm smile.

The first thing about the boat I noticed was that it was very modern, not like I thought it would be since a lot of the other ships on the docks were older. I got the specific facts from Jerry and learned that Capriccio was ninety-one feet in length with a maximum speed of thirty-one knots. I had no idea what that meant but I figured that was fast.

The whole thing was built for comfort with two floors connected by a spiral staircase. Below deck, were four staterooms that looked like they could have been from any five star hotels in the world. They all had plush beds, cream carpets, comfy looking chairs and flat screens everywhere. There were kitchens downstairs along with bathrooms and windows that opened up to reveal the outside world.

Above deck, there was tons of space all on deep hardwood floors that looked like they belonged in a nice house somewhere. There were more TVs up here along with a long dining table that was adorned with candles, a white sheet and fine china. Edward explained that was for our date.

Jerry quickly left us on the deck after he finished the tour. Edward and I stood over the back railing as the sun began to set. The boat took off from the docks and we were soon sailing over Lake Michigan.

"This is...incredible." I said, looking out over the water, "Thank you."

"I didn't want to take you out to some restaurant. Then you'd be comparing me to that jackass you were with at Carmel." He replied.

"I just went out with him to get him off my back." I saw Edward move closer to me out of the corner of my eye.

"I could tell you weren't having a good time." He snickered, "I felt so bad for the kid. He was trying so hard."

"You're trying pretty hard yourself." I nudged his shoulder. It just felt like we had known each other for a long time and I was comfortable with him after that first initial awkwardness of the night. .

"Touché." He hit me back.

We stayed silent for a long time, just watching the moon overtake the sun and it was the first time that I had actually seen stars since I moved to Chicago.

"You truly do look beautiful." Edward said sweetly and I couldn't tell if he was serious or not.

"Thank you." I couldn't help but smile at him.

_Damn it!_

He was working his magic.

"Are you sure you don't say that with all your dates?" I asked.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret." He leaned in, "I don't usually go on dates."

"Oh? You were on one at Carmel."

He groaned and pulled at his hair, "Her name is Vienna and I've known her for years. We had...a thing but I want to break it off. She's kind of insane."

"More so than you?"

"You have no idea." He sounded pretty serious.

"Dinner is served, Mr. Cullen." Jerry said from behind us.

"Thank you." Edward replied and led me to the table, pulling out my chair for me.

He situated himself opposite the table and I saw a single yellow rose in a slim vase in the middle.

"I hope it wasn't presumptuous of me to send the flowers." Edward unfolded his napkin and put it in his lap.

"No, they were nice. Can I ask how you got them to my door?"

"I have my ways." He said.

"That's what you said about knowing my last name."

"I can't give away all my secrets Bella. That would take the thrill out of the romance I'm trying to bestow on you."

"Well, you're doing a good job so far. We'll see if you can keep it up."

The waiting staff quickly brought out a sprawling dinner of seafood that looked like it had just been fished from the sea. I felt slightly awkward being served but I didn't say anything.

Edward and I talked over hot pasta dishes, filled with crab, shrimp, lobster and clams along with steamed vegetables. There was soup and a salad along with champagne that I took small sips of, trying to make him think that I was twenty-one. I hoped we never got that far in conversation because that was something I didn't know how to tell him about.

About an hour into the meal, I realized that I was actually talking to Edward and he was actually talking to me. Two hours in, we were laughing. Three hours in, I had fallen for him. I didn't know if it was the alcohol or just the fact that I was comfortable with him but this Edward wasn't anything like the one I had previously met.

He was kind, he was polite, he was charming and funny, witty and could match my sarcasm. I didn't feel embarrassed with him and my usual clumsiness seemed to disappear.

"So, what about you? What's your story?" I asked Edward as I swirled some red wine in the glass. We had talked about me almost the whole time and he usually avoided himself.

"What about me?" He shrugged, "I'm your normal, twenty-five year old, real estate agent. I come from a rich Italian family, I go to church every Sunday, I have two brothers and I can't cook worth a lick." He laughed and took back the rest of the drink in his cup.

"That was a lot to take in but you've already said all that. Come on, I told you where I was from and about my family."

"No, you didn't You won't tell me about your father or your mother." He accused jokingly.

"That's because they're weird. You don't want to know about them." I shuddered.

"I want to know everything about you. I told you, you fascinate me." Edward leaned back in his seat and kept his eyes on me.

Our desert was served and we talked some more about me. I had to make sure to keep my story straight that I was a twenty-one year old junior. I didn't want to talk about Charlie or Renee because he would just think I was from a white trash family compared to his rich, upper crust one. So basically, I created a whole new persona for myself but that was okay because after a week, it would be like I never existed in Edward's eyes.

I was still sticking to my plan of the no sex thing for a while and it had to be on my terms. I was doing well so far with Edward's tricks so I was pretty sure that I could hold out.

"Why the name Capriccio for your boat?" I asked as we were heading back into the harbor. The moon was high in the sky and I didn't even want to look at what time it was.

"It's an Italian name for a musical term."

"What does it mean?"

"It categorizes a piece of music that's free of form. Little is paid attention to tempo or key. It usually occurs when a person just sits and plays, letting everything go." He looked up to the sky and let out a deep breath.

"Do you play something?"

He laughed, "You didn't see the giant piano downstairs?"

I blushed, "I was kind of more focused on everything else."

"I know how you feel. My mother designed most of it and I still can't get over all of this sometimes." He held out his hands to show off his domain.

Edward was the strangest man I had ever met.

It was like talking with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I still remembered what an ass he was the other two times I met him but this time, something was different about him. He was relaxed.

The boat docked and Edward helped me off of the yacht. I thanked everyone for being so nice. I was in Edward's car, heading back into the city and that was when the real sexual tension began.

It had been building all night but Edward and I had been able to keep it at bay. Of course I saw him eying my chest and I even swiveled my hips a little more than necessary but I hoped he didn't expect me to put out so soon. Shame on him.

Edward kept his hands to himself on the drive home and I was surprised that he hadn't tried to ask me into his bed again. He was being surprisingly good, which confused me but I tried to act like nothing was bothering me.

Why wasn't he asking to sleep with me again? I had made most of my plans on the assumption that he was going to be a jackass so he was throwing a wrench into my path and that wasn't a way for me to win this war.

The car halted in front of my dorm and Edward turned it off.

"So, how did I do with the romance?" He shifted towards me.

"Good, I was pleasantly surprised."

"I knew you would be. How did I compare to Tyler?" He asked mockingly.

"Are you trying to find out which of you is going to be the better lay?"

"You keep a list?" His lip twitched.

"Maybe. You won't know for a while though." I bit my lip and saw him watching me lustily.

"A while? Is that how long it's going to take me?"

"Maybe."

"You are one fascinating creature." He said, almost to himself.

"I think that's the fourth or fifth time you've said that tonight."

"I'm sorry, I just can't help it."

We sat in the car for another minute and I check my watch, slightly annoyed that it was one in the morning.

"Well…goodbye. This was fun." I started to open the door, not really wanting to leave.

"Yes, it was." He replied.

"Thank you." I got out of the car and closed the door. I didn't know if he planned on setting up another date or what but I suddenly didn't want to leave him.

I started walking up the sidewalk, my heels clicking on the pavement when I heard another door close.

I was spun around gently within the next second and soft lips engulfed mine.

Edward crashed his lips to mine and something animalistic erupted in my blood. If felt like I had been kissing for years as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. My hands immediately went into his hair and the taste of wine mixed with his natural taste was overwhelming. His lips were the most succulent thing I had ever tasted in my life and I sucked his bottom one gently while he took my top one into his mouth.

He licked my bottom lip softly and I opened my mouth while moaning against the force of our kiss. Our tongues thrashed together and I didn't even think I took a breath the entire time that we stayed connected.

We didn't bother with formalities as our tongues collided in a wicked dance of wetness that I loved. I began scratching his scalp involuntarily as his strong hands massaged my hips. My skin was burning, my ears were ringing, my feet were hurting but I could have cared less.

All the planning and war strategy that I had in my head were gone, evaporated with his kiss that was about to kill me.

I had to pull back when I couldn't breathe anymore but kept my eyes locked on his.

His left hand traveled up my body, from my hip to my neck where he left it for a second. It wasn't an inappropriate touch but one filled with a sensual nature that still felt caring. He moved some hair out of my face and put it behind my ear. I felt his fingers smoothly pull the flower out of my tendrils and he brought it to his nose.

"I think I'll keep this for good memories." He smirked, "Can I call you again?"

"I would like that." I whispered, still trying to pull myself together from that kiss.

"I would like that as well." He bent down to peck my lips innocently, once, twice and then pulled back completely, "Look out for my call in a couple of days. Goodnight Bella." He walked backwards to his beast, never taking his eyes off of me.

He got into his car and sped off like Batman while I was left on the sidewalk.

I almost died right there.

I went into the building, pulled out my id to show to the night promoter who let me in and then got into the elevators.

The 'what if' bug came back into my head as I went up the floors.

Edward didn't ask to come up, he didn't make any suggestions as to sex, he didn't even make a sick joke after our kiss. I suddenly realized that I was starting to like this Edward and if this is the one that I would be meeting from now on, I was in trouble. What if he liked me and this wasn't just a ploy? What if…

I didn't even realize that I was at my floor until the doors were about to close. I had to take off my heels to walk to my room because the high in my mind was making it impossible to walk. I put the key in and opened the door to an empty room.

I was thankful that Alice wasn't here because I needed to rest after that. I stripped out of my clothes and just climbed into bed in my underwear.

That night, my mind was set at ease as I finally found the perfect shade of green to describe Edward's eyes. It was spring green. The color of summer grass and it was all I thought about in my dreams.

I was woken up by my alarm clock and was still wondering whether last night actually happened or not. I sat up and just stayed in that position for a long time, thinking.

He was making me fall for him. He was tricking me. He was using me and I knew it. The problem was, I didn't have enough strength to stop him. I was through.

I got out of bed and was about to past the door to go into the bathroom but stood in front of it, debating whether or not to go out into the hallway. I took a leap of faith, not caring that I was only in a bra and panties, and opened the door.

On the other side was a large heaping mass of about thirty long stemmed, vivid orange, full pedaled, summer roses in another crystal container. They didn't have a note this time but it wouldn't have been hidden anyway by the flowers that were overflowing over the rim of the vase.

I picked the flowers up and brought them inside, setting them next to the other two groups. Two yellows and one orange. My smile was real this time, genuine.

I started up my computer and brushed my teeth while it came to life. By the time I was done, it was up and running so I logged onto Google, typing 'orange roses' into the search engine.

As I read the description on the first website that popped up, my foot was tapping and I was twirling a piece of hair around my finger. I had to read the summary four times before I understood it.

_With their blazing energy, orange roses are the embodiment of desire and enthusiasm. Orange roses often symbolize passion and excitement and are an expression of fervent romance. A bouquet of orange roses will send a meaningful message._

I sat back in my chair and came to one final conclusion.

I was royally fucked!

* * *

HOLY EPIC FIRST DATE BATMAN

HOW WAS THAT FOR A EPIC CHAPTER? BY FAR, MY FAVORITE SO FAR. HOPE EVERYONE LIKED IT.

SO...WHAT IS THE VERDICT? HAS EDWARD REALLY STARTED TO CHANGE OR IS PLAYING THE HELL OUT OF BELLA? OH GOD, THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME. HE WAS SO SWEET WITH THE ROSES, WASN'T HE? BUT WAS IT ALL A JOKE?

GOOD LORD, WHAT WILL I COME UP WITH NEXT?

COME BACK NEXT WEEK TO FIND OUT!


	12. Chapter 11

Master and Commander

EDWARD POV

"_Heat of blood makes young people change their inclinations often, and habit makes old ones keep to theirs a great while.__"-__Francois de La Rochefoucauld__._

All things Twilight related belong to SM.

* * *

I closed the door of my penthouse after returning from delivering Bella's orange roses to her dorm. It was still really early in the morning so I knew she would get them in a couple of hours.

I basically just sat back in the chair in my office, gloating.

I was winning this war and it was actually kind of pathetic from her point of view. I was playing her like my baby grand piano and there was nothing she could do about it. I pulled out all the stops, sparing no expense to show Bella that I wasn't such a dick.

I actually called Bella, with Rose at my side but she wasn't helping so I got rid of her. After Bella rushed me off of the phone the first time, I was relentless. She would fall and fall hard because I wasn't giving up on her. When she finally picked up that night, I was more determined than ever to romance the hell out of her because I wasn't loosing this.

I did a great deal of research that night as to what I should do to show her that I was serious about this. I found a site that was all about roses and their different colored meanings. That was a surprising discovery that I couldn't pass up. I ordered two dozen yellow ones for Bella and took them over to her dorm myself. I paid the night person there to find out what room she was in and he took them up because he wouldn't let me go by myself.

I thought that I had conquered her with the simple gesture but I should have known better. Most women would have already jumped my dick but she made up some excuse about having a test the next day. She sounded like she was telling the truth so I gave her a reprieve but that meant that I had to work even harder the next day. I didn't call her but just sent yellow roses again the next morning.

They all came with a sly note of something I had thought up but that wasn't the point. I wanted her to see that I was trying. Even though I knew it was all a rouse, Bella seemed to soak up my romantic signs and I knew I was getting closer to cracking her.

She finally called me back and accepted my invitation to dinner that night and the real planning began. I decided that I had to do something that would knock her socks off. I wasn't going to be compared to some college kid who didn't know what he was doing so I created a date that I knew she would never forget.

I decided to take her on my boat that I hadn't been on in years. I hired a full outfit of staff to serve us and then just had to wait for Bella to fall into my web.

Throughout the whole date, something in me changed.

She was fighting me, that was obvious but my end goal changed as we ate dinner on that boat. It wasn't about trying to get her into bed because that seemed too trashy. Bella wasn't like that. Don't get me wrong, fucking her was still in my head but I didn't want her to assume that I was just there to touch her body.

It felt like Bella was better than that and I should be treating her with more respect.

That was when I knew I was in trouble. I had never had this feeling towards a woman in my entire life so these were uncharted waters for me but I played it all off well. I realized that I was actually talking to Bella, not putting up a mask and it felt good to let my guard down somewhat.

I realized in the back of my mind that I liked Bella. I really liked her and not in a sexual way. She was a woman who could hold her own against me and threw back conversation like it was programmed in our blood. We were talking like we were old college buddies.

I decided to just let the cards fall where they may as I drove Bella back to her dorm.

I would let her make the moves sexually and wouldn't push her like I had originally wanted. To me, this was still a game and I planned on winning but would it really be bad to spend some extra time with her? No it wouldn't so I should enjoy my time with Bella while I could. I figured that after we fucked, the appeal would dissipate so I wasn't in any hurry to get rid of her.

On a whim, when I dropped her off, I decided to just go in for the kill. I kissed the hell out of Bella and in a world where I was always the predator, I suddenly felt like prey at her lips. The way she gripped my hair and the taste of her tongue was enough to spur me on. I would have laid her down on the pavement and pounded into her right there if I didn't have any class. She was so sexy and didn't even know it. That was the most intriguing thing about her.

Spending time with Bella had suddenly went from a chore to a desire.

Of course that didn't mean that I didn't have needs. I called one of my favorite girls over last night so that I could have a roll around but it surprisingly wasn't enjoyable. She left an hour after she stepped into my apartment and I sat on my couch, smoking a cigar with a raging libido that hadn't calmed down since I met Bella. I knew it would never be truly satiated until I had her.

I made it a point to just be with Bella and not think about having her. When she was ready, she would tell me and then the experience would be even better. The only problem was that I had never done this before. I didn't have friends who were girls. Is that what we were, friends?

Friends didn't kiss like we had last night. Friends don't fantasize about each other.

This posed a problem for me. I had never actually wanted to spend time with a woman outside of bed but Bella's siren call was too much for me to ignore.

I decided to keep up my romancing. If nothing else, I could show her that I wasn't a complete jackass like I had been the previous times we met. Something about me wanted to make her see that I could be nice even though I usually wasn't nice. I had never acted this way towards a woman and it was slightly unnerving but I just decided to not fight this. Being romantic would obviously get me the best fuck of my life so that was what I was going to do.

After I took Bella's roses over this morning, I came back to my building and worked out downstairs for a good two hours to burn off the frustration in my body. By the time I made it back up to my penthouse, showered, shaved, dressed and drank a cup of coffee, it was nine. Bella should be calling any second.

I tapped my fingers in rhythm on the granite countertop with my cellphone next to me.

I waited, just staring at the thing for half an hour and debated to call her or not. I had made the first move so now it was her turn.

A sharp ringing sounded through the kitchen and a sly smile appeared on my lips. I waited as to not appear too eager.

"Hello." I answered.

"_Hello." _Bella's sweet voice came over the other end.

"I was wondering when I was going to hear from you." And I found that I was actually glad to hear from her.

"_I had to figure out how to thank a certain man for sending me the most beautiful roses...again."_

"Really? More competition for me to deal with?"

"_Yes, you might need to up the romance factor. I'm hot stuff." _

"You have no idea." I spoke softly and pointedly.

She was silent for a couple of seconds, "_I looked up the color orange when I got the flowers." _

"And what did they mean?"

"_Desire and passion." _She answered simply.

"Can you blame me for jumping the gun? You were absolutely stunning last night and it was all I could do to not…" I couldn't even finish that sentence.

"_Thank you. That means a lot coming from a man who's probably had sex with over a thousand women in his lifetime." _

I suddenly felt ashamed of my number. Did she think I was a man whore?

"Uh…well that might be on the modest side of things." I decided not to hide behind my sins.

"_So, I was calling to say thank you for the flowers." _

"You're welcome. Expect more soon."

"_I think you might need to stop with the gifts. I'm not a big fan of being fawned over." _

"Really?" That actually did surprise me. Most women liked expensive gifts and I had just given her flowers. What would she think when I pulled out everything I had.

"_Yes, really. I hate people spending money on me." _

"Well you better get used it."

"_Used to it? You make it sound like you're trying to court me." _

"For now." I said, trying not to give away my true goal of just fucking her, "May I take you out to dinner tonight?"

"_I guess so." _

"You guess? That doesn't sound very promising."

"_Well as I recall, you said you would be calling me." _

"Now you're just getting into semantics." I joked.

"_Maybe I should be the one asking you out?" _

"Absolutely not. I'm the one romancing you, remember?"

"_I guess." _She replied and I could almost see her shrug her shoulders. She was mockingly being nonchalant but I knew she wanted to laugh her ass off at our back-and-forth.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"_If you're asking if I like watching you squirm, then yes." _

"I would like to see you squirm as well Bella, don't forget that." I was trying to warn her. I was trying to make my evil thoughts known, that way it was her fault if this didn't end like she wanted it to.

"_I know you would Edward but you still have some work to do." _

"I'll have to step my game up." I chuckled.

"_Last night was amazing, thank you for that." _

"It was my pleasure. So, what about dinner tonight?"

"_Sure, can we go back to Carmel? I need to redeem myself from that last horrible disaster and Alice has been bugging me to take her there so she can apologize to Jasper." _

"That would get me some brownie points with him. He's been asking about her."

"_I'll meet you there?" _

"I can't pick you up?"

"_I want to make it alive and your driving is less than suspect. I can't risk my life like that again." _

I laughed, "Okay then, beautiful. I'll meet you at Carmel at seven."

"_Sounds like a plan." _

"You make sure you look as amazing as always."

"_I'll do what I can." _

"Bye, beautiful."

"_Bye, yourself." _

We hung up and I felt a certain calm wash over me.

I tried to ignore the bounce in my step throughout the whole day as I went about my business.

I didn't have much to do besides go down to the docks and review over a shipment of cocaine that was stored in baby formula cans as they crossed over the border from Mexico. I know that might seem strange but you'll soon learn that drug smuggling wasn't as flashy as it seems in the movies. There were hundreds of ways to get drugs into the country and the old baby formula trick was just as simple as the next.

Baby formula was viscous enough to mask the scent of cocaine from dogs at the border and easy enough to melt down once we got it. We could easily extract coke from the formula and then package it ourselves. Of course we had to be careful that none of our shipments got mixed with the normal formula but we hadn't had any problems yet.

I basically just stood on the docks and watched some lower level guys unload a shipment that had just came in, while checking off the crates. We stashed them in the warehouse where my father's "scientists" would do the rest. .

I went home that day, still on a high from this morning and felt like I needed to do something so I cleaned. I usually didn't feel the need to clean but today, I was nervous for some reason.

I scrubbed down the toilets, showers and sinks, which were already spotless but germs were sneaky motherfuckers and could hide in plain sight. I made sure that everything was in order in my office and felt the sudden need to reorganize my CD collection, which took hours. By the time I looked up, it was six-thirty and I was like a school boy, climbing over the sofa to get out of the door.

I decided to just walk to Carmel since it was close and then realized that I was in the same vicinity of Northeastern. It was outside of the city but still close enough to be housed in Chicago. I could walk to Bella's dorm in ten, fifteen minutes easily.

I put my hands in my pockets and strolled down the crowded afternoon streets of the city as I looked around behind my sunglasses. I got the usual looks of lust from some girls who were incredibly hot but over the past week, I had found that they held no fascination for me. Not until I conquered Bella, would I be able to get back on the train of world domination.

I made it to Carmel right on time and waited a few minutes before I saw a cab pull up with Bella steeping out, followed by Alice but I didn't really notice her.

Bella was dressed casually in a nice pair of dark jeans that fucking hugged her long legs like I wanted to and a white corseted top that pushed up her chest but not in an obscene way. Her hair was thrown over her shoulder as soft curls flowed throughout and she had on the same white pumps from last night that I jacked off to this morning while I was in the shower. This night, she had an orange flower in her hair that was rivaling her beauty. She looked… luminescent.

She approached me cautiously with a side grin and Alice bounded over with a seemingly endless amount of energy.

"Hi, I'm sorry about last week. I just came to apologize." She began, "I'm Alice." She held her hand out for me.

I was about to say something but she cut me off, "I know you probably think I'm some crazy person but I'm not, I swear. I was just trying to help my friend out and I know that the taser was a little much. Is Jasper inside? I need to go find him." She skipped towards the door while my mouth hung open, "Love the suit by the way." She said before going inside.

"She never quits." Bella came up to me with her lips twitching in laughter.

"Wow, I feel like I need a nap now."

"Welcome to my life." She rolled her eyes.

I leaned in to taste her but then thought about what the gentlemanly thing to do would be in this situation. Of course, with my smooth brain, the first thing that popped into my mind was to quote Shakespeare, "May I bestow upon your lips a kiss…?"

"…a kiss of honey or wine or blood?" She quoted back and to say I was impressed would be an understatement.

I couldn't help myself as I melded our mouths together, my hand on the lower part of her back, pushing her towards me.

Just like last night, her hands went into my hair, causing a growl to erupt from my throat and her body just seemed to fold into mine. Our lips moved seamlessly as our tongues inched their ways together. A jolt of electricity was constantly flowing through my body but I didn't mind the tingling sensation one bit.

"Edward, we have to stop." Bella bowed her head, effectively ending our kiss.

"I'm sorry. Was that rude?"

"No, it was fine. People are just staring." She whispered and her eyes darting to a creepy looking dude smoking a cigarette on the corner.

"Let's go inside." I opened the door for her and scowled at the man who was wagging his eyebrows at me, "Fuck you." I said loud enough for him to hear but not Bella as I went inside.

The waiting staff knew me here so a hostess led us to my normal table near the waterfall, the same place I was seated when I met Bella on her fate.

She slid into the booth opposite me and I unbuttoned my jacket as I sat down.

"So, how was your day?" I asked and folded my hands on the table.

"Good. I made a one hundred on a test I took last week so that brightened up my spirits." She smiled, "You look very nice by the way."

"You do too but when don't you?" I said.

"True. It's a curse." She said arrogantly but she was just joking.

We ordered a couple rolls of sushi and sake. While we waited for our meals, I noticed Jasper and Alice sitting in a corner at another table, laughing like they were old friends.

Bella and I talked about everything but seemingly nothing at the same time. I had to remind myself that I was a boring, twenty-five year old, real estate agent on more than one occasion when I slipped up but I guess that was all part of her charm. Bella made me seem like I could talk forever and that never happened.

She was younger than I was, twenty-one, but that was only four years. Not too bad. Even though she was younger, I could have sworn that I was talking to a thirty year old. She was so wise and mature, nothing like the other girls I met and tried to pick up.

"So, what's your secret?" Bella leaned in as we sipped wine after our meals were over.

"What secret?"

"I don't know, you just seem so mysterious and I can't put my finger on it…"

"Sorry. I'm a closed book." I laughed.

She moved her leg under that table so that it was rubbing mine and I raised an eyebrow.

"Don't get any ideas." She shot me down.

"Are you one of those girls who have a time limit on how long it is until we finally have sex?"

"You're so sure of yourself."

"Oh come on, you and I both know it's going to happen. I can feel the tension in our bodies." I whispered lowly.

She shuddered as I brushed my leg against hers, "Be that as it may, I have rules and I don't think you want any kind of relationship with me so…"

I was tempted to say yes just to see what she would do. Did I want a relationship with this girl? Of course I didn't. Just one fuck.

"So…what?" I prompted.

"You're going to have to wait until I say you're ready."

"Until you say? That's rich."

"You're one of those men who are used to getting everything you want but I don't give in easily."

"Don't I know it. I've tried everything with you."

"I know and it's been fun watching you work for it."

"Work for you? I'm willing to do that." I said seriously.

She looked at me with penetrating eyes for a second and then took a lazy sip of her wine.

Our date ended two hours later and we practically closed down the restaurant. Bella complained that she couldn't walk in her heels so I hailed her a cab and put her in the back after a long kiss that left me breathless. She smirked her way into the cab and then left me alone on the sidewalk.

I walked home slowly and thought about how this girl was basically just playing me like I was playing her. I thought I was master and commander of this thing we had going but she was obviously in control. I would let her take me if she wanted because I just wanted to feel me inside of her. That was my goal and I had to keep my head straight.

The next morning, I dropped off another bunch of orange roses to signify the same thing that they did the morning before. Throughout the day, I was thinking about what I could do for a date. She didn't have that many classes so instead of dinner, I brought her lunch and we ate on the quad near her dorm.

It was the most laid back I had ever felt in my life and I quickly found out that she was making me let my guard down. That, I didn't like but there was nothing I could do about her.

She read to me from _The Jungle _as she laid on the grass and I had the urge to lay next to her and not do anything sexual, so that's what I did. I just watched her lips move around the words, I watched her fingers turn the page, I watched her hair blow in the breeze and something in me changed...again.

_Who was this girl? _

I went home after lunch and she couldn't go out to dinner because she had to study so I spent a lonely night eating greasy pizza that I worked off in the gym afterward.

The next morning, I carried a huge vase of pale and dark pink flowers to her dorm where I dropped them off like I had done every morning. I had found out that pink was a good way to describe Bella in terms of color.

The roses symbolized gentility, femininity, elegance and refinement, the pink rose also carries additional meanings depending on its hue. A deep pink conveys gratitude and appreciation, while pale shades connote grace and gentleness, admiration and happiness. Both dark and light were perfect for Bella.

The next night was dinner at Carmel again and she smiled the whole time, meaning that I was close to my end goal and I think tonight was going to be the night. It had been a whole week of nothing but romancing.

I had played all my cards right by sending her flowers, taking her out to nice places, showing her my fucking yacht that I never showed anyone and she was crumbling or maybe I was crumbling but in any case, I needed to get laid.

We ate slowly and things just seemed to flow between us in a way that I hadn't felt in a long time.

"So, where to now?" Bella asked as we stepped out into the night after eating.

"Can you walk?" I pointed to her heels that she was dominating in.

"I'm fine." She said and we kept a slow pace as we went through Grant Park and crossed over the now infamous fountain of our second meeting.

"I always thought you were a jerk." Bella said suddenly, "I still think you're a jerk." She nudged me with her tiny body.

"Then why did you agree to go out with me?"

"Believe it or not, I kind of like you. Against my better judgment."

"You like me?" I asked dramatically.

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm just saying that if I had to be out with someone, you're a good person to have fun with.

She didn't realize that I was leading her towards my apartment but that was the plan I was working for. We were slowly making our way through the streets, towards my house. I just had to keep up a unhurried, indifferent persona about me.

"I'm not such a good person Bella." I said truthfully.

"I can tell but you're…not all that bad either."

"Well thank you."

We stayed on out path for a good fifteen minutes, not really speaking but just enjoying each other.

"Are you leading me towards your lair?" Bella raised her eyebrow at me.

I didn't really know what to say so I just grinned at her when we stopped walking. I could see the front lobby of my building behind her and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm not stupid Edward." She stood on her tiptoes to give me a short yet powerful kiss, "Can I come up?"

"I can't deny you what you want." I smirked.

I opened the door for her and she walked into the building with a certain air of gloating.

_This was turning out to be one hell of a night._

* * *

**HOLY CHANGING EDWARD BATMAN**

**WELL, WELL, WELL. OUR EDWARD SEEMS TO HAVE BE BITTEN BY THE BELLA BUG AND NOW HE'S HOOKED. HE'S SOMEWHAT CHANGING BUT HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IT. **

**I KNOW, I KNOW. THIS CHAPTER WAS SHORT AND KIND OF CUT OFF BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE IM UPDATING AGAIN ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. DON'T BITE MY HEAD OFF. **

**AND GOOD NEWS...LEMON COMING UP NEXT! I KNOW HOW PERVY YOU ALL ARE SO I CAN'T PUT YOU THROUGH THE TORTURE ANYMORE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. **

**A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT NEEDS TO GO TO ALL OF YOU WHO REVIEWED. I GOT OVER ONE HUNDRED FOR THE LAST CHAPTER. ARE YOU SERIOUS? THAT'S ONLY HAPPENED IN MY DREAMS. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY EGO IS EVEN MORE INFLATED THAN IT USUALLY ITS. **

**KEEP IT UP. REVIEW POR FAVOR!**


	13. Chapter 12

Power, Pleasure, and Pain

_"Don't trust the heart, it wants your blood."- Stainslaw Lec_

BELLA POV

All things related to Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

Edward held the door for me and my heels clicked on the slick marble of the lobby.

"So...you own all of this?" I asked and looked up at the high ceilings that had chandeliers hanging from them. The lights bounced off of the crystal and created odd shadows on the cream walls.

"One of my many buildings," He gloated like he had been all night but that was Edward. Nothing about him was done halfway and that included the way he spoke about himself.

I found out that if he wasn't trying to impress me, he was actually quite charming. He would always have some sort of arrogance about him but as the night had went on, it went from narcissism to more confidence. It sounded to me like Edward just had a very high view of himself and that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Throughout the night, I had become more and more drawn to this man as his eyes pulled me in. There was no fighting him and I was surprised that I had lasted this long.

All this week, he had taken me out to dinner, brought me lunch at school and even let me read to him as we sat in the grass. That was the day that I cracked the shell of fake Edward Cullen. I was able to see the man behind all of the money and cars and apartments. He let me read to him while he closed his eyes and just listened. I peeked at him over the brim of my book.

It was the first time that I had seen Edward where he looked relaxed. He wasn't trying to impress me or make some grand gesture to show me how caring he was. The funny thing about all of this was that I knew he was just playing until he got me into bed but I would let him. There was no way to stop him from taking me over.

That day where he first brought me lunch, I could see the true Edward and I liked what I saw. He was calm, tranquil, his face looked ten years younger and I think I detected a hint of a true smile on more than one occasion. Usually, his face was so covered in figurative blood that it caused a mask, hiding everything but he shed it for me. I knew it was just a ploy but he went out of his way to show me a glimpse of a man I didn't think anyone had ever seen.

That was the day I fell for Edward.

I didn't know what it was at first and I was trying to figure it out all through dinner tonight but as we sat there, I realized that I was infatuated by this man. My connection to him wasn't just physical and emotionally, my feelings were showing their true colors. I didn't know if it was love but I was certainly more smitten with him than I wanted to admit.

_Did people still even use the word smitten? _

I hated to think that tonight was going to be the last night that I would see Edward but that was the way it had to be. Edward wasn't a man who fell in love and he definitely didn't have girlfriends so where did that leave me? I was a girl who had fallen for a man who was basically set in stone. He wasn't going to change for me and there was no use trying.

I had to put on a game face throughout dinner because I knew tonight was going to be the last time I could see him before he broke me. What would happen if I let him lead me on and then he just dropped me? That would leave me devastated and I wasn't in any position to feel this way over a guy I just met three weeks ago. I had to pull myself together and just fuck him before I slipped out in the night like a bandit.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized that I was doing to him like he did to countless other girls but I couldn't get attached to him any further. Edward would hurt me if I didn't end whatever we had right now. I guess you could call it casual dating but even that was a stretch for him.

I knew what was going to happen.

I already had the emotions going through me so it was obvious that I liked him more than a friend. Tonight, we would have sex and then come tomorrow, Edward would act like he didn't even know me. If I let that happen, I would end up turning into every whiny, emotional girl out there. I would cry over him, I would ask myself 'why?' over him, I would want to know if it was something I did and I couldn't let that happen. I had shed my tears for boys in high school. I was over that so tonight, I was going to be the one breaking hearts...if Edward had one.

I know it only took one week and I said I would hold off longer but I couldn't help it. I wouldn't let him pull me in any further and if I stayed in this fucked up relationship for one more day, I would be lost to the world. I wouldn't allow it so I had to end this tonight, after one send off. Just one fuck.

"So tell me, Mr. Real Estate Agent, what does a place like this go for?" I asked him as we walked slowly around the lobby. I knew he liked to talk about himself and truthfully, I like hearing about him.

"A lot. I won't even tell you the true number because it might blow you mind." He ran his hand through his hair and licked his luscious lips.

The sexual attraction was about to make me combust but I had to make sure that I didn't appear to be too eager so I kept my cool just like I had been all night even thought I really wanted to scream.

_Just fuck me here!_

"Try me. I'm not impressed by your money Edward." I snickered.

"Yeah right, any girl would be impressed with the fortune I've amassed." He held up his hands.

"So, how much are we talking?"

"Around a billion." He shrugged like it was nothing and I actually believed him.

"Around a billion?" I said slowly, "Well, that's a good chunk of change."

"And if you look at my taxes, they'll say I make a modest million." I heard him say under his breath like he didn't want me to hear but kind of did.

I nodded without saying anything. He was a very secretive man who didn't ever really give up anything about his life. He had a way of skirting around answers so that he said a lot but didn't reveal much. It was like he was trying to hide and I added that to the long list of things that drove me crazy about him.

He was an enigma that I had to solve but unfortunately, I would never have the chance.

"How long have you had this particular piece of property?" I ran my hand along the cool marble of a table that was situated in the middle of a thick carpet. We hadn't even left the lobby yet and I was already highly intimidated by his money.

"This one was built last year so it's new. Jasper and Emmett live upstairs." He pointed above him.

"Keep the family close." I nodded.

I saw a lot of men coming in with suits after a long day of work and they all seemed very professional. There were young yuppies who were probably living off of Daddy's money and slick women in business suits who were bitches to their coworkers. Everyone looked so mature compared to me but then I reminded myself that I was only eighteen.

That provided another reason why I had to end this. If I just left after tonight, I wouldn't' have to explain my lies. He didn't even have to know about my age since he would never see me again.

"I have three more around the city and then other hotels and things across the country."

"Really?" I didn't bother hiding my astonishment.

"Yeah. I try to diversify my investments." He explained.

"I should be taking notes. You obviously know how to make money."

"All thanks to my father. He's the real genius."

"I might need to meet this man you speak so highly of." I laughed but I guess Edward didn't really find that funny because his face kind of paled. He quickly recovered but I caught his slight fluster.

I just stayed silent as we continued to walk in an endless circle of the lobby, trying to stay away from the elevators. I didn't want to go up just yet because I needed to spend as much time with him as I could and I think that Edward was actually nervous.

I had to grin at that.

"So, where to now?" I asked, when I thought an appropriate amount of minutes had passed.

"We could...go to the gym and work out." He joked.

"I don't think so. Today's my day off from the gym."

"Well...we could go see a movie." He was beating around the bush on purpose, wanting me initiate things, which I saw was putting him out of his element. He was fidgeting with his pocket in a way that was almost obsessive.

"I don't think anything good is out." I bit my lip, not really thinking but trying to drive him crazy. I had seen Edward watching me over the past couple of days and it seemed like my nervous habits were a turn on for him, which made no sense to me but whatever floats your boat I guess.

He took in a breath through his teeth and then dragged his hand over his mouth, "We could go upstairs and have something to drink." He suggested, almost in a whisper.

"That sounds good to me." I stopped walking and stood in front of him strongly.

I didn't know what we would call ourselves but I was happy that we could obviously freely kiss. It wasn't a frequent thing but at least he didn't pull back when I tried so I took the opportunity.

I stood on my tip toes and melded my lips to his softly at first and then more surely after he placed his hands on my hips. My fingers went into his hair that felt like silk and he had a strong taste of tobacco on his lips that normally repulsed me but on him, it was inviting.

We kept the kiss slightly chaste with no tongue, just enjoying our mouths on each other. I think I heard him moan but that couldn't be right. He didn't seem like a moaner.

He eventually rested his forehead on mine, "Would you like to come up?"

"I said I would. Are you trying to keep me away?"

"Yes. I'm trying to warn you." I think I heard a detection of sadness in his voice.

"I think I'll be fine." I whispered to him and placed my kisses on his lips a couple more times before pulling back.

"Are you sure? You don't have to do this..."

I looked at Edward strangely because for some reason, he came across like he was actually trying to keep me away from him. It was like he was scared of something.

"It's okay. I'm not afraid of you." I kissed him again.

"You should be." He couldn't keep his lips off of my skin and placed them on my neck, "I'm not a good person."

"I don't believe that. Everyone has some good in them."

"Not me. I don't want to hurt you."

The blood in my veins beat a little faster as he said those words to me.

_I don't want to hurt you._

I took in what he said but I couldn't let myself believe that. I would get hurt no matter what because Edward and I didn't want the same things out of this. After he got what he hunted me for, he would leave me alone to my nightmares and I could go back to normal. I needed to go back to normal.

"I know you won't. I just want to be with you. Don't push me away." I said as sincerely as possible, trying not to cry at the fact that after this, I would never see my green eyed man again.

He sighed and bobbed his head in defeat, leading me by the small of my back to the elevators. He nodded to the man sitting at the front desk before we went to the last golden elevator on the left in a row of many.

"This one is the only one that goes up to the penthouse." He pushed the button.

"Which I guess is yours?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Of course. Who else's?"

We waited a couple of seconds and then the elevators dinged, welcoming us in. Edward let me go first and then followed. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a key that he put in the slot under a row of buttons. He twisted it and pushed the top floor at the same time and the elevator came alive. Edward crossed his hands behind him, rocking back and forth on his heels.

In that small cubicle, the sexual tension seemed to erupt like a fucking volcano and I could tell he was feeling that same physical tingles that I was because of the way he was standing and breathing.

I had to smile to myself again because if I didn't know any better, I would have thought that this was his first time going through this. I should be the nervous one but I had a shot of confidence when I saw him slightly fidgety. He was like a virgin at our first prom. How sweet.

We stayed silent for the entire ride up and I didn't know how high we were going but it seemed like forever until the doors dinged again.

"After you." Edward said and held the door open for me.

I stepped out into a marble foyer with one dark wooden door. The whole open part was circular with an intricate design on the floor. It reminded me of the room from _Alice in Wonderland _when she first falls down the rabbit hole minus the doors, the potion to make my size change and that pestering rabbit.

Edward pulled out a card key and swiped it through the door before opening it.

"Don't be shy. I won't bite." He smirked and almost pushed me inside.

I was met with something that must have come out of a home magazine.

The first thing that I noticed about Edward's apartment was that it was huge, spotless and basically colorless. Right after the door was another marble walkway that led to a couple of steps where the whole place opened up into massive family room with white couches, white carpets, white walls and dark furniture. The light fixtures were sleek and metal, making the whole place seem very modern. He turned on the lights and soft glows illuminated the whole apartment and I could see just how pristine Edward liked things.

There were huge windows that went from floor to ceiling, covering an entire wall. A very impressive balcony wrapped its way around the whole place. I saw some stairs that probably led up to a second level that was more impressive than this.

Hardwood floors led to a beautiful, stainless steel kitchen that looked like it had never been used and I just wanted to bake something in there but I calmed myself down.

There was a lot of artwork on the walls that was surprisingly abstract and was the only thing in the penthouse that added color to the space.

"Most of them are Kandinskys." He nodded towards a row of paintings that he saw me eying, "I like modern abstract art. It relaxes me."

"Are they originals?" I whispered trying not to speak too loud so I didn't upset the quietness of the apartment.

"Yes. I think one of them was stolen back in the forties but who knows." He laughed.

"They're beautiful." I looked around the room at the other vibrant pictures that dotted the walls. Lots of colors and shapes created patterns on the canvases, making his apartment resemble an art gallery. I looked around and noticed that this place wasn't very personal. There was one family picture that could have fit in Edward's wallet on the mantel overlooking a gigantic fireplace but that was it.

"What's with all the white?" I asked and walked around on the carpeted floors of the room.

"It's clean. I have a...problem with dirt so it's best if I can see it so I can clean it up." He muttered almost angrily like he was on a germ killing crusade.

I turned to look at him and he was shyly toeing the rug with his shoe, his hands still behind his back.

"Did your mother design all of this also?"

"Yeah. I just gave her a month to do anything she wanted as long as..."

"...as it was white." I nodded, understanding.

"Would you like something to drink?" He asked, picking himself back up and trying to change the subject.

"Sure." I continued my walk around and saw another piano that Edward swears was on the boat but I don't remember. I went to run my hand over it but he stopped me quickly.

"Don't..." He rushed over, "I don't like people touching...things." Edward took my hand and held it in his, almost as if I was a balloon he didn't want to fly away. His grasp was firm yet gentle.

I could hear Edward muttering things to himself under his breath but couldn't understand them. I could just piece small phrases together like 'stupid, stop being stupid' and 'why are you such a freak?' I didn't know if he was talking about me but I don't think he was because his face revealed a more self deprecating façade.

"Sorry. I should have asked." I said softly, not wanting to interrupt Edward's scolding on himself.

"It's no problem." He shook his head and then rushed back over to the alcohol stash.

"Can I go outside to look around?"

"Please, be my guest." He went and unlocked a pair of double doors. A sudden rush of wind blew through the penthouse as they opened revealing the buildings below.

"You own the whole city." I said in amazement as I looked down. It was like we were in heaven with night clouds and frosty air circling around us.

Edward just chuckled and went back inside to get some drinks while I was still standing at the doors.

The whole balcony was stone and looked like it would work better on the edge of a palace somewhere in Europe. There were chairs and chaise lounges around an actual fire pit. I sat in one of the large, plush seats that practically engulfed my small body. Just like inside, the cushions were white and the furniture was a dark wood.

The breeze was whipping around the building but wasn't cold. I heard the soft sound of music coming through the penthouse as it drifted outside. I laughed to myself when I realized that it was Prince's _Purple Rain_. I had always loved that song but I was surprised to see that Edward had it on his shuffle. He seemed like more of a classical guy, which I also loved but I never thought he would start off with Prince. He was making his intentions known in subtle ways.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Edward asked as he came onto the balcony with two glasses of an amber colored drink in crystal.

"Yes, very much. This is beautiful." I took a glass from him and then drank a small sip. The burn was welcome but I could tell that I was a little tipsy already so I remembered to pace myself.

"I don't think I've ever been out here before." He sat in a chair and leaned back, unbuttoning his jacket at the same time. I tried to soak up everything about him so that I could remember for the times when we wouldn't be together.

"And how long have you lived here?" I asked casually, taking another small sip.

"About a year." He shrugged, "I don't really spend much time in this apartment to tell you the truth."

"You don't seem to have a home here."

"No, I just need a place to sleep." He took a gulp of his drink, "Are you cold?"

"No, I'm fine."

"So, how do you want to do this?" Edward sat up, hunched over so that his arms were resting on his knees.

"Do what?"

"Have sex. I know that might be forward but I'm about to burst and I don't think I can just look at you any longer."

I chocked on my drink at his admission and it took me a couple of seconds to get my breathing back.

"Well then, that was quick." I wiped my shirt that was stained slightly with the alcohol from my glass.

He let out a rushed breath, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that." He replied quickly, "I can't believe I just said that." Edward ran his hands through his hair, once again chastising himself for obviously being caught off guard by his actions. I noticed him doing that a lot tonight.

"It's not a problem. You just kind of jumped in the lake without warning me." I sighed, not knowing what else to say.

"Bella, I'm going to be honest with you, I don't think I've ever met a woman so beautiful in my life and I'm not just saying that to get you into bed." He leaned into me and his voice was filled with sexy, low, lust filled innuendo.

My mouth opened a couple of times to say something but I couldn't find words.

"I need you." He said firmly. "I really need you and my whole body is just humming from being close to you without touching your skin." He ran a finger over my exposed arms and a cliché row of goose bumps sprang up.

At this point, I had to remind myself to breathe.

"I don't know what you want." I spoke softly.

"Yes you do and you want it to."He whispered in my ear, "Don't deny me, Isabella." My name dripping from his lips was almost orgasm inducing and he added a slight Italian twang to it that nearly made me fall to my knees in worship.

"I don't want this to be anything but sex." I lied out of my teeth as strongly as I could.

"Of course." Edward kissed right below my ear and licked the spot slightly. I shuddered and he chuckled as he placed another kiss on my skin.

I had to say these things so that I would appear unwavering in my decision. Just sex with Edward wasn't a possibility for me at this point but what was I going to do? I had to take this for what it was worth.

_Just sex, Bella!_

"I'm sorry if you think I'm a complete asshole but this is who I am." He pulled back and looked at me with sad eyes, "I'm sorry I can't give you more."

I boldly got into Edward's lap, forgetting my drink on the table and pushed him against the back of the comfortable chair. My legs went on either side of his thighs and his hands took positions on my hips.

"I'm not asking you for more. I knew what I was getting myself into. We can have fun until this is over at least." My voice almost cracked but I caught myself.

He nodded without words.

I took my chance and kissed him with more force than we had been using the past couple of days. This time, unlike the one downstairs, our tongues clashed together in a vicious dance and I let him dominate as he swept his through the inside of my mouth. I had never been kissed like this before and it was intensely erotic while still being slightly sad because I knew that I was going to have to give this entire experience up shortly.

My fingers knotted into his hair as he lifted me up, taking us inside with one quick movement.

We stayed connected and I didn't open my eyes, trying to save the taste of him on my lips. I felt him walking lightly through the house, leaving the outside door open and then he raised himself up the stairs impressively without even breathing.

"Are you sure about this?" He grumbled between our lips.

"It's just sex." I repeated my mantra out loud. His breath was cool and refreshing, almost like a peppermint.

As I started to whimper, I felt a calm wash over me. I knew it was him, working his magic again. This was a road that Edward was well traveled in so I was going to let him take over because I was over fighting him. I felt Edward's lust through his body and I was suddenly at his mercy.

"Relax Bella, I'm not going to hurt you" I heard him whisper as I felt him set me down and my feet hit carpet. "I'm sorry about treating you so badly, but this is the only way I could get you to hear me out, and get what we both want and need."

I slipped off my shoes and couldn't take my eyes off of him as he removed his jacket, "I know you feel it Bella." His voice got deeper, and thick with desire. "I drown myself in your lust, your want, and the excitement that you feel when you think about the possibilities."

"Oh Jesus..." I panted because I was basically through from his voice alone. I didn't even realize we were in Edward's bedroom but we could have been in the pits of hell for all I cared.

He moved back towards a chair near the door and set his jacket down.

I closed my eyes to keep my head alive. This was the most intense feeling I had ever had in my short life and Edward was about to kill me.

I suddenly felt his cool breath wash over me as he whispered into my neck. "You have no idea how long you've tempted me Isabella" He trailed his fingers down the side of my neck, I couldn't help the shiver that went through me when he skimmed the side of my breast.

I kept my eyes closed so I didn't have to be hit by his green orbs.

"I've waited long enough to take you as mine" I felt his lips against my ear. "My body craves for you..." I moaned in response.

For some reason, Edward's Italian accent was peeking out and my panties were drenched. I wasn't even going to deny that.

"You were meant to be mine." He softy bit my ear lobe. "That first time I saw you at Plasma, I wanted to throw you against my desk and fuck your tight pussy from behind, not caring who saw."

"Really?" I asked in a breath.

"Of course." He ran one finger along the contours of my neck and collarbone, "Keep your eyes closed." His voice was nothing more than wind but it was speaking volumes.

I felt him move away from me then. I could hear the faint sound of a zipper and the shuffling of clothes. I kept my eyes shut tight and was left standing in the room with nothing to hold or feel.

Edward was at my side in an instant."Please Bella, give me this. Give me one night. That's all I ask for." I gasped when his hand made contact with my left breast that was covered with my shirt but I still felt the fire from his touch. "My lust for you is so strong..."

My body gave in and I arched into his hand, begging for more.

"You don't have to beg me Edward. I'm more than willing..."

His hand left me all too soon.

I hated not being able to see what he was doing yet excited at the same time. I felt myself getting wetter at the thought of what he was going to do. I heard him groan from behind me.

His nose was grazing the pulse point of my neck and his hand grazed the skin of my stomach as he lifted my shirt slightly, "My God, you smell sinfully exquisite"

I jumped when I suddenly felt his hand inside of my jeans but still outside of my panties, "Can I taste you Bella?" His other hand quickly skimmed down my stomach. He didn't give me time to talk but I wouldn't have been able to because I was more focused on his nose that was running up and down my neck. I moaned in anticipation and as an answer.

His hand that was in my pants, left. I almost protested until it dove under my panties without hesitation.

I hissed in pain and pleasure when his finger quickly thrust up inside of my body with no warning.

My head rested on his shoulder behind me as we continued to stand. I didn't know how much longer my legs were going to keep me up.

"God you're so fucking tight. I can't wait to be inside you." Edward said harshly. I cried out in loss when he removed his finger. I couldn't help but blush when I heard him hum in satisfaction as he sucked my juices off his finger from behind me, "I would let you taste but this nectar is all mine."

I was suddenly lifted off of the ground and felt the softness of his bed on my beck. My eyes were still closed, from his command but also because I was trying to remember this for the rest of my life.

I had only experienced his touch but he was bringing out feelings in me that I had never thought possible.

Edward's long fingers began undoing the button on my jeans with quick and nimble motions. They slid down my legs easily, leaving of me in nothing more than my top and panties. He quickly released my chest from its prison as he unzipped the corset Alice forced me into tonight. It came off of my body without problem and was flung onto the floor. I wasn't in a bra, which I complained about to Alice but suddenly, it wasn't such a bad turn of events.

I felt the bed shift as Edward climbed between my legs. He held my hands above my head in a vice grip that kind of hurt but felt good at the same time, "You're mine for the night." He kissed my neck and sucked, "Say it."

"I'm yours." I panted, my breathing coming harder.

"Good girl." I got a nip from his teeth.

His refreshing breath washed over my face as his lips claimed mine with force. My lips had a mind of their own as they responded to him willingly. I could feel that Edward's kisses were desperate and full of passion that I didn't think any lesser man could hold.

_God, I could kiss this man all day. _

I started to struggle to get my hands free. I wanted to pull him closer but he wouldn't let me budge. It was a wonder that he could hold both of my hands so firmly with just one of his but I shouldn't have been surprised.

I arched my back and moaned when I felt his tongue make contact with mine. It was like a shock to my system, each of us fighting for dominance though we both knew he would win in the end. When he noticed my breathing was becoming an issue he pulled back. My breaths ragged as I dragged in much needed air.

Edward trailed kisses down my jaw. I threw my head back when I felt him lick down the front of my neck, when he got in between my breast he stopped and placed kisses across my chest.

"Do you realize how beautiful you are?" His voice was rough and parched, "I would fuck you every second of every day if I could."

_Why can't you? Please make that fantasy a reality!_

When he came in contact with my right nipple I hissed in pleasure. He latched on and swirled his tongue around it before giving a soft nibble. He paid proper attention to that one before he moved on to my left nipple. After they were both pebbly and sufficiently hardened, Edward let his kisses travel down again.

He continued his trail down my stomach with wet lips that could probably suck the nails out of a floorboard. At this point, my hands were free but I wouldn't dare move them.

Before long, I could now feel his breath against my heated center and I let out a weird cry that sounded like a bird being strangled.

"I take it you like my kisses?" Edward chuckled from down below.

"Yes." My voice was no louder than a mouse's.

I shivered in anticipation when I felt his lips meet my underwear covered pussy.

"Keep those eyes closed Bella and don't try to move." Edward latched his fingers into my panties and slid them down my legs just as easily as my jeans, "No moving Bella." He teased me quietly.

Nothing happened for a God's honest minute. I counted the seconds.

There were no more kisses and no more touches. I could still hear him down there but I was too scared to open my eyes to check.

I screamed when I felt his tongue lick between my lips, diving in with no warning.

"Shit…" I yelled to the high heavens.

"God, you taste exquisite." He moaned against me. "Everything about you is a sin." When his tongue found my bundle of nerves, I couldn't help but thrust towards him and further into his mouth.

"Please" I whimpered.

"Please, what?" Even though I couldn't see him I could tell he was smirking but at this point I didn't care.

"More, please I need more." I didn't know what more was, but I knew I needed something, anything to release the pressure running through my body.

I could feel his fingers make their way along my slick folds before he gently entered one into me. I gasped at the coldness, his digit working its way in my hot, wet entrance.

"Oh…..oh,God." I moaned, my back lifting off the bed, hands finding his hair and my whole body seemed like it was flying. I felt his tongue run along my clit as another finger entered, thrusting their way in and out of me. I began rocking as much as I could against his hand and mouth, trying to reach my orgasm.

"Edward….almost…..please." I begged.

Right when I was on the edge he stopped, the pure definition of torture.

I whimpered in protest as he pulled away. I felt him hover over me.

"Open your eyes Bella." Edward whispered into my ear. I did as he said and could only marvel at him.

He was in nothing more than boxers and I didn't know how I missed that but he was glorious. His chest and...everything was carved from stone. I thought I was looking at one of Michelangelo's statues. Edward was perfect from his strong legs to his toned stomach to his slightly hair dusted chest to his bright green eyes. Perfection.

He leaned over me from between my legs and tenderly kissed my forehead. I could feel the evidence of his lust against my inner thigh and my God, you could have told me I was in bed with an elephant and I would have believed you. I was scared to even look down there, just the feeling was enough to scare the shit out of me.

He quickly pulled on a condom with lightening speed and I didn't even realize it until I heard the crinkling of foil on the floor.

"I'm sorry if this hurts." He whispered against my skin, his tobacco scented breath intoxicating me. "I can't wait any longer to be inside you." I couldn't find my voice, but I knew I couldn't deny him anything, especially my body. We were too far gone to back out now, and if I was being honest with myself, would die happy if I spent the rest of my years in this bed, with him by my side.

_That can't happen Bella. Just one night!_

"I'm sorry beautiful, this is going to hurt." I could feel the head of him at my entrance. "I'll go as slow as I can Bella." I moaned out when I felt a burst of lust coming from him.

Edward slowly entered me. I gripped onto his shoulders as hard as I could, letting him fill me inch by inch. I wasn't a virgin but it had been a long time so I was extremely…tender. There was a slight feeling of pain within me but I would die ten times over to feel that every day.

I never felt so many emotions before in my life. Lust, excitement, eagerness, completion, desire, anticipation, pleasure and finally…love?

"Ahh God!" I screamed as he pushed further into me.

I felt him tense and stop breathing, no doubt due to the sounds I was making.

"Keep going Edward. Please... keep going." I ordered.

He pushed forward until we were completely joined. The feel of him inside me was beyond words and pleasure started replacing the pain. The need for release took over. My legs wrapped around him, trying to draw him forward.

He slowly withdrew and thrust all the way in. "Oh Bella, so hot, never felt anything like this." His speech was stammered.

I could only pant as an answer.

His movements grew frantic, craving the release we both needed, "What the hell are you doing to me?" He rested his head on my shoulder as he continued to move above me with fluid motions.

I gripped onto his hair like it was my line, tying me to this earth.

I lost complete track of time as the feelings in me grew deeper and the heat in my stomach grew hotter. I stopped counting minutes after we got to ten and my whole body was aching to be closer to him, to be filled completely by him.

Edward thrust freely in and out of me, ecstasy screaming from every pore of my body. I wanted this to last forever. His breaths became ragged, his movements turning desperate.

"Edward… Oh god…..Please, I'm close, don't stop." I screamed, not embarrassed that he was making me act like a wild crazed animal.

He roared my name as he exploded inside me. My own climax only seconds behind him. I felt him almost still within me but he kept up a constant motion as we both rode out our orgasams to the point of no return.

"Shit." He whispered harshly as his climax took over. I didn't relinquish my hold on him and didn't know what to do.

_Was it over? Was all of this over? _

He continued to move inside me until my tremors ended.

Edward rolled over bringing me on top of him mumbling praises in my ear. Him telling me how beautiful and exquisite I was and me trying to get my breathing back.

"That was...by far...the best sex I've ever had." Edward rested against the pillows with my head lying on his sweat soaked chest.

"I'm glad I could provide." I giggled half knowing what was going on, "What now?"

"I think we're in need of a shower. " He smirked, "You're all sweaty." He ran his tongue long my neck, "Salty Bella is the best kind."

"Are you sure you're ready for another round?"

"Please, I have the stamina of a bull." His chest rumbled with proud laughter.

I gently climbed off of him and stood stark naked, unashamed and on wobbly legs, trying to recover from that sky high orgasm.

He swung his legs over the bed and took my hand, pulling me in between his thighs, "Did I do well?" He asked and kissed my stomach.

"Perfect." I rolled my head back as his kisses went higher.

"I think I need to get you wet." He spoke seductively and stood up, leading me towards the bathroom.

Just like downstairs, the bathroom was white marble and very fashionable. Everything from the sink to faucets to the toilet was futuristic in a very simple, minimal way. It somehow reminded me of Edward with strong lines and smooth surfaces.

"What kind of smell do you like?" Edward asked as he flipped on the lights to the cavernous bathroom that looked bigger than my dorm.

"What are you talking about?" I was scared to touch stuff so I just held my hands in front of me, trying to cover up slightly.

He went to a dark wooden cabinet that was as big as a bookcase and opened up two doors. There, in rows of military like beauty, stood probably every body cleaning product known to man. Shaving creams, body washes, shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, exfoliates, face creams, razors. It was all like some corner pharmacy but better.

"What smell?" He asked with a grin, "I personally like ocean spray." He held up a navy blue bottle. Edward had somewhat of a giddy bounce in his step and I didn't know if it was from the sex or if he was just extra happy but it was making me sad to think that I would never see this side of him again.

I let out a deep breath and gave him the best smile I could, "That sounds good to me." I shrugged, "What's with all of this?" I inspected his bathroom closet.

"Oh...I...uh..." He struggled for words and I could tell that he didn't really want to talk about it.

I put my hand on his chest, "It's okay. You don't have to say anything." I got the slight feeling that he had some sort of social disorder but I knew he was good at hiding things so he probably wouldn't tell me if I asked.

He nodded and then sadly smiled, almost like I had done a couple of seconds earlier, "Are you ready for the best shower you've ever had?"

"Do your worst." I kissed him slowly, tenderly, lovingly.

He backs away with a couple of things from his closet and then pulls the glass shower wall back.

"Get in," He murmured and turned on the steam shower. It was one of those beastly things that should be in a gym somewhere with spigots that poured torrents from all angles.

I stepped in the tiled shower carefully and was suddenly enveloped in steam and deep fragrances.

The spray of water was heavenly and worked wonders on my knotted muscles from the fucking love marathon that I just ran. Okay, so it was one orgasm but it felt like I had been sprinting for miles.

He slipped into the shower stall to stand behind me, and I felt his strong hands at my shoulders, gently squeezing and massaging.

"I meant it when I said that was the best sex I've ever had." He kissed my neck softly.

I hummed an answer.

His thighs lightly brushed against my ass and I melted into him. "You're pretty tight." He said.

"Is there a double meaning to those words?" I asked without turning around.

"Of course." He whispered and my legs gave out. He caught me before I fell thankfully.

He wrapped his arms around me and gently cupped one of my breasts, rubbing his thumb over my nipple.

His other hand traveled down to my pussy, applying light pressure to my clit with the heel of his hand. He kissed my shoulder and hummed softly in my ear. His cock was semi-hard in the small of my back, and I leaned into him, letting the hot water wash over our joined bodies.

"I love touching you," Edward said quietly into my ear. He releases the pressure of his hand, but then used his fingers to lightly part my lips, running a third finger along my slit, "I loved watching you come, Bella. Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"Right there," I whined as my hand flies to the back of his head, bolting him to me. I felt like I might collapse. Edward held me up, whispering in my ear how much he wanted to please me, how much I deserved to be pleased, how my pleasure gets him off.

"I can't wait to do this over and over and over and over..." He kissed me with each word.

That was when I pulled away from him and backed up under the water spray on the opposite wall. I had to get away from him, I had to gain some control over this or I would never leave. The whole reason I came up here in the first place was so that we could get what we wanted and then I could go. I needed to shift the situation back in my favor.

"Did...did I do something wrong?" Edward asked almost shyly. His face looked so juvenile with its water soaked skin and droplets falling from his damp hair that was covering his eyes.

I put on a game face, "No, I just don't want me to have all the fun." I moved closer to him, moving my hand from his hair to his stomach, feeling the way his muscles contracted under my touch.

He nodded with his lips slightly parted.

"I won't let you be the only one giving our gifts." I slid down his body slowly until I was on my knees in front of his exceptionally large member and didn't waste any time stroking him.

"Bella, you shouldn't be doing this." Edward leaned against the tilled wall.

"Why? You don't like it?"

He said something in an answer but I didn't understand it. I continued to stroke him, watching and feeling his cock getting harder with each second as it filled with blood. I kissed his tip, letting my tongue poke out, tasting what he had to offer.

"Bella, I mean it. You need to get up."

"I'm fine down here." I ran my nose along his thick rod that seemed to only get impossibly bigger.

I had only done this sort of thing a couple of times with Mike and it usually repulsed me but with Edward, I didn't feel ashamed at all. I was actually excited and eager to taste him.

I was about to take him in fully but I was suddenly yanked off of the floor and held tightly by my shoulders.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I saw Edward's heavy breathing and wild eyes.

"I told you to get up." He spoke viciously but calmed down after a couple of seconds and ran a hand over his hair, moving it from his face.

"I'm...sorry if I scared you or something. I thought you would like it." I said, slightly confused.

He sighed, "Bella, I usually do but...I don't want you on your knees. You're too good for that."

It took me a couple of seconds to understand what he was saying. This was an Edward that I wasn't used to.

"That kind of thing isn't what I want to see you doing. Do I make myself clear?" Edward said like I was a child, "You're too good for that kind of thing and I want you to promise to never get on your knees for any man."

I didn't say anything but my mouth opened a couple of times trying to will words out.

"Promise me, Bella." He almost shook me.

I nodded dumbly.

After that awkward moment had went by, something seemed to pass between us that wasn't at all sexual.

The shower turned from a sex marathon to a sensual wash down. We didn't talk at all but his touches on my body said more than enough. His ocean spray body wash seeped into my skin and I leaned against his strong chest as he massaged my muscles with strong hands. Nothing was said the entire time but I didn't mind at all.

Over two hours later, we were wrapped in Egyptian cotton towels and I used a brush to get the tangles out of my hair. Edward stood against the door and watched.

I kept my eyes in the mirror, not wanting to see him or I wouldn't have the strength to leave. I had to leave.

"Now what?" I asked, still brushing.

"What do you want?"

"I don't know." I answered truthfully.

"Now, I guess you and..."

"Can I stay until the morning?" I cut him off, not wanting to hear his voice end whatever we had.

He looked down at me oddly and thought for a second, "I usually don't let women stay over."

A sharp pang of hurt ripped through me as I realized that to Edward, this was still just sex. He was treating me like every other girl he had in this bed, without even caring but I knew this was going to happen so I pulled myself together before my face betrayed me.

"It's too late for me to go home now." I lied. I just wanted to stay with him as long as possible, "Please."

He huffed and scrubbed his face with both palms, "I guess. I've never been through this before. Should I...sleep on the couch?"

"No!" I said louder than I should have, "I don't want to kick you out of your room." I offered as my reply. I didn't want him to leave me and I felt like a clinging bitch.

"Are you okay, sleeping in there...with me?" He asked hesitantly, pointing towards the bedroom, "I have a couple guest bedrooms but they're not clean. Are you sure you want to sleep in my bed?"

"Yes." I whispered. I took his hand and led him back to the bed. I unwrapped my body from my towel and took a chance, climbing into his cool sheets that we had tangled up hours before.

He looked torn for a second before letting his towel fall to the floor and getting in with me. He laid down and I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heart.

"Okay, then." Edward said simply and pulled a sheet over us, not letting me fall off of his chest. Our naked bodies were still touching and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

The seconds turned into minutes, the minutes turned into hours without a single word passing between us. It was when I felt Edward's chest rise and fall rhythmically, that I decided it was time for me to leave.

I nimbly climbed off of him and couldn't help but gaze at his body wrapped in the sheet when I stood up. He was incredible and even sleeping, he looked like a Greek god.

I pulled myself together and started picking up the clothes that were on the floor, putting them on hastily. A quick glance at the clock told me that it was four in the morning.

I gave Edward one last look and made a gamble, placing a soft kiss on his full lips before padding downstairs lightly, almost making no noise. I

didn't know if I should leave a note of thank you or what but I had to get out. I couldn't get more attached than I already was. This feeling I had for Edward was so strong that it was physically painful for me to leave but I had to. I couldn't change a man who didn't want it and I sure as hell didn't want to try.

I couldn't let myself destroy my emotions anymore.

Just one night. That's all it took, for lust to become love.

* * *

**HOLY SWEET AND SOUR LEMONADE BATMAN**

**I SWEAR, EVERY TIME I READ THIS CHAPTER I HAVE TO TAKE A COUPLE OF COLD SHOWERS. I SUGGEST EVERYONE TRY THAT AFTER THIS ONE. **

**HOW HOT WAS THAT? **

**EDWARD AND BELLA SURE DO MAKE AN EXPLOSIVE COUPLE. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR GIRL DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO LEAVE. RIGHT CHOICE? ONLY I KNOW THE TRUTH. MWAHAHAHA**

**A COUPLE OF STORIES NOTES TO ADDRESS. **

**THEY ARE BOTH STUBBORN CREATURES. WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BUT SOMEONE IS GOING TO HAVE TO FALL. WHO WILL IT BE FIRST? **

**EVERYONE KEEPS ASKING WHEN BELLA WILL REVEAL HER AGE. AT THIS POINT TO THE CHARACTERS, ITS NOT A BIG DEAL TO ANYONE EXCEPT BELLA. EDWARD COULD EASILY GET THE INFORMATION IF HE WANTED BUT SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS 21, WHY WOULDN'T HE BELIEVE HER? PLUS, IN THEIR EYES, THIS IS A ONE TIME DEAL...AS OF NOW. THE AGE THING WILL BE COMING UP SHORTLY, ESPECIALLY ONCE THE FAMILY FINDS OUT ABOUT OUR LOVER'S LITTLE TRYST. **

**WHAT EVERYONE REALLY NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT IS WHETER BELLA IS ITALIAN OR NOT. THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE ISSUE ON ITS OWN AND DID WE FORGET THAT CHARLIE'S A COP? MY, MY, MY. THINGS ARE HEATING UP.  
**

**LOTS GOING ON. HOPE YOU CAN ALL KEEP UP. **

**ON ANOTHER NOTE COMPLETELY, MY FRIEND AND TRUSTED READER, gossip_bangkok, HAS A WONDERFUL BLOG THAT I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD CHECK OUT. SHE DOES REVIEWS ON STORIES AND INTERVIEWS WITH AUTHORS AMONG OTHER THINGS. LDV IS REVIEWED ON THERE AND SHE'S A VERY FAITHFUL JOHNNY. I LOVE HER TO DEATH. SO GO CHECK OUT THE BLOG FOR LOTS OF FANFICTION INFO. YOU'LL LOVE HER SASSYNESS. **

http:/gossip-bangkok(dot)blogspot(dot)com/

**ANOTHER READER HAS POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THERE WILL BE BLOOD WAS UP ON ANOTHER BLOG SITE THAT RATES FANFICTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S CALLED TWILIGHTENABLERS AND CAN BE FOUND HERE **

http:/community(dot)livejournal(dot)com/twilightenabler

**WHEW! THAT WAS A LOT FOR THIS A/N. **

**REVIEW AND THEN COME BACK TOMORROW FOR ANOTHER HAIR GRIPPING CHAPTER. YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT!**

**PS-THANK YOU TO ALL THE FANS WHO LEAVE REVIEWS AND ADD ME TO FAVORITES. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR KEEPING THIS FUN FOR ME. WE'RE ALMOST AT 1000. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? I'M ABOUT TO DIE. **

**OKAY, I'LL SHUT UP NOW. **


	14. Chapter 13

La Pura Verita

EDWARD POV

"_Nothing of any importance can be taught. It can only be learned, and with blood and sweat."-Robert Anton Wilson _

All things Twlight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

For the first time in nearly ten years, I had slept.

I didn't even know what was really going on in my subconscious the whole time my eyes were closed but for some reason, my mind and body were both shut down at the same time. That never happened and it certainly didn't happen anymore now that I was in this business of crime.

As my brain started to come back from a dream state that was so deep, I didn't see anything but black, I suddenly realized that I had just experienced the most intense sexual experience of my life and that was saying something.

It was just one time and it was enough to make me forget any pain or any idea of the outside world. I could usually fuck all night but with Bella, I was so worn out, I almost couldn't even stand up. Of course I played it off but I was seriously considering going to the doctor last night because my whole body was shocked into a state that I had never felt before. One time and I was done? What the hell was up with that?

Bella made no sense to me and as much as I wanted to appear like I knew what was going on, nothing was going according to plan when it came to her.

Even in my sleep, I could tell that one fuck wasn't enough. I needed more, I craved more, I wanted more. As much as I wanted this to be like every other time, it wasn't.

Usually, I just fucked and then dropped. It took once before I was able to bounce back and get on with my life. Girls never stayed in my head, they never took over my dreams, they never tried to bore their way into my brain. Well, some of them did but I never let them get past my mental barriers. With Bella, it was all different.

My body felt like it was still a parched man in the desert and I could have drank five gallons of water, but I was still able to feel the pain of a dry throat. I had to have more of her.

I didn't know what exactly I was going to do about her but I was going to fuck until I couldn't anymore because I had to get her out of my system.

If I had to keep her tied up and play a sub/dom game, then that's what I was going to do. Damn it, I wasn't going to let her beat me but at this point, I don't think I was playing games any more. Bella seemed too special to play with and treat like this was all some kind of trivial pursuit.

That being said, last night was one of the most sensual and...natural experiences of my life. I was used to having sex just to feel good but with Bella, it was different.

I invited her up and didn't immediately jump into bed with her. I wasn't even really thinking that far as I watched her walk around my penthouse. I don't think I had ever even wasted time showing a woman around my apartment before. Most of it was because I didn't want people touching things in my house but another part of it was that I didn't really care once the panties were dropped.

With Bella, I wanted to take my time. I felt like I should take my time, more time than I already was.

I didn't feel right with just laying her down on my bed and having my way. It didn't seem appropriate . She deserved more so I tried to take a breath before I went straight into the sex portion of the night. Unfortunately, my libido had other plans and I blurted out some pretty inappropriate things when we were sitting on the balcony but before that, I was doing well.

I played some music, granted it was Prince but it was on my shuffle. I brought her some brandy and just let the night progress as it might. She was the one who initiated coming up and if she hadn't pushed, I would have been happy to just take her back to her dorm. Once she was in my house, I couldn't help myself.

I had to have her under me or I was about to explode. Just sitting next to Bella without touching her was torture so I took my chance but I didn't want this to end like any other fuck that had occurred throughout my life.

I warned her, I tried to warn her. Of what, I wasn't sure but she needed to know that I couldn't give her more than what was about to happen. Bella didn't seem afraid of me like she should have been. I wasn't a normal, loving person so it was hard for me to even be this open with a girl but Bella just made me feel...strange. I didn't know what was going to happen with us but I had to warn her. She needed to know that she would be hurt by me once I dropped her.

And then I was shaken to my core by the most sexual adventure I had ever been on. The weird thing was, it was just once. I was acting like Bella and I had fucked well into the midnight hours but we didn't. It was just once, like I wanted, but suddenly I wanted more.

The way she said my name, the way her body looked while I was pounding into her, the way her eyes rolled back into her head because of me, the way she dug her nails into my shoulders, it was all driving me insane. She had basically disintegrated me to ash and to bury myself inside her was the most fulfilling feeling I had ever had.

Bella was making me crazy.

As soon as I pulled out of her, I knew I was in trouble. I didn't want to stop and that was a problem. She was my drug, my addiction and I needed more. Thankfully, I was able to persuade her to shower with me and that was another sexual trip on its own.

The way the water dripped over her body and curves was enough to give me a permanent, rock hard cock and my Bella tried to take care of that. She wanted to suck me clean but for some reason, I didn't feel right letting her do that.

_What man turns down a blowjob?_

I had seen women on their knees before me countless times and I never picked them back up. There was no doubt in my mind that Bella's lips on my dick would have been incredible but she didn't look right down there. I never wanted her to kneel again whether it was giving a blowjob or just cleaning a fucking floor. She was better than that.

Another abnormal thing that happened last night was the fact that Bella stayed over. I tried to make it clear when I first met a girl that this was just sex. Last night, Bella did that for me but there was a hint of sadness in her voice. She acted like she didn't want to go through with it and to be honest, if she asked, I would have been more than happy to just sit and drink with her.

I didn't like sleeping with people. Not as in a sexual way but in an actual way. I didn't like having women I my bed while I tried to rest. With Bella, once she asked, I couldn't refuse her and I actually didn't mind. I didn't want to throw out my sheets and I didn't have the compulsive nature to burn them. I wanted to disgustingly roll around in them for some reason like a filthy animal.

She made me do that.

I decided that it was time to make my body come back to life so I could get more of Bella this morning. I had to have more of her.

I started with my feet and after what felt like years, felt electricity through the rest of my body. I had never slept so well in my entire life and I didn't even know why. It was like I was dead.

I raised my hand to my face and wiped my eyes. My neck had a crick in it and my entire spine finally felt set in the correct position after all these years. I didn't know how long I slept but I figured it was a couple more hours than I was used to getting.

I was finally able to open my eyes and turned my head to the left and felt the bones crack as I readjusted myself. Last I remembered, Bella's naked body was on top of mine as we went to sleep and I wasn't complaining at all. She was soft, molding to my body from the first time we touched.

My eyes squinted in the light that was trying to peek through the curtains and I tried to see the digital clock on my bedside table. Once my eyes adjusted I almost sat straight up in bed when I saw that it read noon.

"What the fuck?" I muttered and swung my legs over the side, my head spinning from the quick change of position.

I never slept this late, ever, and if I wasn't so mad at myself, I would have reveled in the fact that I had probably slept a good eight hours. I would have to tell my therapist the good news.

I suddenly remembered that I wasn't the only one in the apartment, or so I thought.

I let my hearing travel out to see if Bella was still here. I didn't hear anything in the bathroom and was secretly thankful because I didn't feel like doing a full sanitization today although something about Bella didn't repulse me like normal women did with their germs.

I was out of bed and stumbled a little but was able to correct myself easily. I walked around the room, not caring that I wasn't clothed and was surprised when I didn't step over anything. All of my clothes were neatly folded on the chair near the door but I suspected that Bella's would be around here somewhere. My floors were clean of any scrap of clothing.

I went to the bathroom and knocked on the door but got no reply.

I pulled on a pair of boxers out of my drawer and then went downstairs, trying to find any trace of Bella.

I quickly found out that she was gone, disappeared like a thief. There was no trace of her. No letter, no note, no call, no message. If I didn't know any better, I would have said that I spent a night alone with nothing but my TV but I knew the truth.

_Where the hell was she?_

It was inconceivable to me that she would just up and run because no woman left me, no matter how hard they were fighting. I didn't care if Bella was immune to my tricks, she couldn't have just left without a...goodbye.

Over the next hour, I realized that Bella did exactly what I would have done if I was in her situation and that made me mad as hell.

Who the fuck did she think she was?

This wasn't supposed to happen this way. She just left in the middle of the night without one word and that didn't bother as much as the fact that she flipped the roles on me so seamlessly that I didn't even realize it. Bella treated me like a common whore and I didn't know if that was her intention all along but I didn't like it. I was man enough to admit that I made women feel the same way over the years but that's not my problem. I always warned them but never had a woman walkout on me. Never.

I sat on my couch in my boxers and drank bourbon from the bottle as I watched the sun rise over the city.

It had been three hours since I woke up and I was thinking about calling Bella to vent my anger. I was gripping the phone so hard that I thought it was going to shatter in my hand.

I laboriously took another drink of bourbon that I wasn't even feeling and thought about how fucked up Bella just left me. Did she really think that I was going to let her get away with this? As much as I thought about it, the more I wondered why the hell she was affecting me this way.

So what if she left without saying anything? Isn't that what I wanted? It was better than having some clingy bitch around all the time, right?

I answered the questions in my head with a hearty round of 'no'.

The reason I was so pissed was because I never expected this to end so abruptly. I was supposed to have more time with her, if even only an hour, it would be more time. She was quickly becoming an obsession for me and I didn't know at what point it became more than lust but my body wasn't matching up with my brain...or was it my heart?

"Stop being a pussy." I ran my hand over my eyes and sat the bottle down on the glass table in front of me.

At this point, it wasn't even the fact that I was playing with her anymore. Something in me had changed, that was for certain but I didn't know what. Something in me was calling to Bella and it was making me want to just spend time with her like some...boyfriend.

I cringed at the word.

Boyfriend implied more than I was ready to deal with. For one reason, I wasn't in any position to give Bella a normal relationship even if I wanted to. She was a young woman who needed to be out there with someone else. The only problem was that I didn't want her to be out there with some other dude.

_She was mine._

I had never been so possessive over a woman in my life and I couldn't stand it. Bella was mine and there was nothing I could do about it. No matter how hard I fought, she pulled me in.

What Bella and I had wasn't sex since we had only fucked once even though I would have loved to have some kind of schedule with her if she would let me but I doubted she would. I wanted to spend time with her outside of the bed as well, which scared the living hell out of me.

We spent time together, we kissed on occasion and we seemed to get along well. I took her out to dinner, I brought her fucking lunch. I was so pussy whipped, I didn't know what was wrong with me.

What did the word boyfriend mean anyway?

There was a knock on the door that could have been an oil drill in my head.

I jumped up so high off the sofa, I nearly flew through the air.

"Edward..." I heard my mother's voice from the other side of the door, "Your father and I are here."

"Ma, you scared the shit out of me!" I yelled back, not moving from the family room and trying to calm myself down.

"Don't curse at your mother." Carlisle said sternly.

I went to open the door where they stood, the perfect look of 1950s cookbook, complete with smiles and neatly pressed clothes. My mother had a casserole dish along with her cheery disposition.

"Put some clothes on, boy." My father hit the back of my head and walked in. My mother kissed my cheek before skipping past.

I shut the door and went upstairs. I dressed in a simple pair of black slacks, Armani of course, and a yellow button up shirt that Esme bought me so I decided to wear it to make her happy. I hated yellow.

I was downstairs ten minutes later with my father sitting at the island in my kitchen, reading and my mother going through my non-existent stash of food.

"Edward, I'm starting to worry. I don't know if you eat or not." She poked through my naked refrigerator.

"I'm fine, Ma." I sat next to Carlisle.

"You're not fine." She looked me over, "You're skin and bones."

"He's fine, dear." My father said without lifting his gaze from the newspaper.

In their presence, I felt like a child and all I could do was sit while they went on.

"What are you going to eat?" Esme went through the cabinets and I got a slight chill from her touching things but she was my mother. I had learned to control my uneasiness with her.

"At least he has coffee." Carlisle raised his cup gladly.

"This isn't funny. I'm worried about my boy." Esme came to hug me and I just let her.

"You have two more downstairs." I reminded her.

"I've already dealt with them." She went to go heat up whatever she brought in, "Jasper said you left Carmel last night with a girl."

"As I always do." I sighed.

"The same girl you've been seeing all week?" She raised an eyebrow.

I ran my hands through my hair, "Who told you?"

I knew something was bound to get back to my mother. This was an Italian family we're talking about. Nothing stays silent for long. The only problem was, I didn't have any answers for the questions Esme was going to ask. It wasn't like they knew their son was a goody-goody when it came to women. Many of my stories had gotten back to them through church, people in their circles, whoever, but they knew I was usually up to no good.

"No one told me. I have eyes Edward. You've been...different these past couple of days." She beamed, "I like it."

"Different?"

"More docile and I actually saw you smile the other day." I think my mother was actually bouncing at this point.

"I always smile."

"No, really smile." She corrected me, "Like you used to do when you were younger."

I looked at my father but he was still reading, more like hiding, behind his newspaper.

_Coward!_

"What's her name?" Esme rested on her elbows.

Maybe I could actually use my parents to my advantage. I didn't know what I wanted from Bella anymore but I wasn't going to let her go.

"Bella." I answered simply.

"Bella...is she Italian?" My father suddenly found his voice.

"Yes." I answered without even thinking. Truth was, I didn't really know but if she wasn't we had a problem. Then I reminded myself that I would probably never see her again anyway so it didn't really matter.

"You know the rules, Edward. You can't be with just anyone." Carlisle chastised and my mother glared at him. It was almost as if a silent conversation was going on between them.

"Yes, I know the rules of our mafia hierarchy." I almost rolled my eyes but he would have snapped my neck if I did.

"Bella means beautiful. Is she?" Esme's eyes glowed, "Emmett says she is."

"She's okay." I shrugged, completely lying.

"How long have you been seeing her?" Carlisle asked.

"We...don't really see each other in that sense."

"Oh Edward, are you using this girl? I knew it. Maybe I should have sent you to military school when you were younger. That would have solved this obsession have with breaking womens' hearts because it's not appealing... " She started to ramble.

"I didn't break her heart." I stopped her.

_More like she broke mine! _

_Stop being a pussy!_

"Where is she? I want to meet her." Esme said.

"I don't know if I'll see her again." I ran my hands through my hair again, "She's...complicated."

"What's complicated about her. Do you like her?" My father asked simply.

"Yes...no...I don't know..." I stammered.

"Oh, Carlisle," My mother began, "I think our Edward has his first crush."

"I do not."

"It's okay, son. Do you want some coaching?" He clapped my shoulder with a joking touch. I pushed him off.

"I can handle things."

"Really? Rose said you asked her for help." Esme pulled the casserole out of the oven that had been used maybe once since I moved here.

"I knew I should have never went to her." I grumbled.

"I want to know more." Esme put herself on a stool and pushed me a heaping plate of her famous lasagna, "When and where did you meet?"

"At Plasma maybe...three weeks ago."

"Oh no, she's not a slut is she?" My mother didn't bother hiding her distaste for my past preferences.

"No, she's...exceptional." That was the only word I could use to describe Bella.

Nothing was said for a long time and soon, my fork scraping the plate was the only thing filling the silence.

"How old is she?" Esme asked.

"Twenty-one."

"That's young." Carlisle said, a hint of trepidation in his voice.

"Just four years." I admitted.

"Jasper said you two go out almost every night. What does that mean?"

"I don't know." I groaned.

I kept my head down without saying a word.

Carlisle got up from his seat and fixed his tie, "I'm going to go see your brothers." He patted my back before leaving the room. I heard the door to my apartment open and close.

He knew that I wasn't in any position to talk with him about my private life. We walked a thin line between father, son and business partners. It might sound strange but it was the way things worked. With Esme, I felt a little more comfortable letting out my feelings, if I had any. I guess you could call me a mama's boy but I would kill you if you did.

As soon as Carlisle left, my mother got up from her seat, took my plate to the sink and then came back to stand next to me. She was so small that I was still taller than her while sitting.

"Cosa c'è di sbagliato?" She asked sweetly.

_What's wrong? _

"Non lo so." I answered.

_I don't know. _

I could feel the crooked smile of my mother without even looking at her. That's where I got it from.

"Tu hai incontrato il tuo partner."

_You've met your match. _

"What does that mean?" I raised my head.

"It means, young man, you're growing up. Was this Bella here last night?" She eyed me.

"No." I lied.

"I bet she left before you even woke up." My mother made another bulls eye, "No note, nothing."

"She was playing me the whole time." I growled.

"Like you were doing her?"

"It's...not the same."

"Why, because she played your own game better than you did?"

I had to half laugh at how right my mother was, always was.

"You like her."

"No I don't. I just wanted sex."

"And I suspect you have that so now what? She's still under your skin."

"Yes."

"You're smitten with her."

"People don't use that word anymore." I chuckled.

She hitched her shoulders, "It explains your problem."

"I...I don't know how to do this." I pulled at my hair, "I can't be what she wants."

"How do you know what she wants? You've never asked her."

"She's too good for me. I can't hurt her so this is what's best." I sat up straighter, trying to convince myself, "Just sex."

"Just sex or did you make love?" She tapped her fingers on the marble counter top, "That's a very powerful thing Edward."

I didn't even want to think about that. Making love connoted that I had feelings for Bella, feelings that ran deep. The only problem was that I couldn't find any other logical explanation for what was going on with me.

"I can't deal with this." I stammered.

"Did you really think you could live the way you have forever?"

"Yes. Hugh Hefner does." I spoke seriously.

She stopped herself from laughing, "Oh Edward, you're so cute. You and your father might have to act tough for everyone else but you won't ever be able to fool me. I miss my boy."

"He's still here."

"No he's not, Edward." Esme sighed, "I haven't seen the real you since you were thirteen."

"I have to change, you know why."

"As much as I've tried to change you over the years, I knew I wouldn't be able to. You have your life and I've learned to let go but this Bella seems to have a hold on you that I have never seen."

"No she doesn't." I said shyly. I felt like a fucking pussy.

"You can't get her out of your head and you never will unless you do what you feel is right, not what your head says but your heart."

"Come mi conosci così bene?" I looked at her.

_How do you know me so well? _

"Lo sono tua madre." She said simply.

_I'm your mother. _

"I can't give her what she wants." I repeated.

"Devi crescere e agire come un uomo." She kissed my forehead in the all-Italian, motherly sort of way.

_You have to grow up and act like a man. _

That was all she said before she flitted around the kitchen, cleaning the already immaculate space.

Half an hour later, I was sitting on my couch with my mother humming to herself, still in the kitchen.

The door to the penthouse banged open and I heard Emmett's booming voice followed by Jasper and then my father.

I just wanted a day by myself to sort through my thoughts but of course that wasn't an option in this family.

"Eddy, come on. We've got work to do." Emmett jumped over the back of the couch and landed next to me, shaking the entire thing.

"I don't feel like it." I grumbled, crossing my arms like a child. I had been acting like one since I woke up so why stop now? I was still pissed at Bella but now, I had a better hold on what I was thinking all thanks to my mother.

"Dad needs us today." Jasper copied Emmett's actions and landed on my other side. Carlisle and Esme were still in the kitchen.

"With what?" I asked.

"Gianini." Emmett answered with one word.

I let my head fall back onto the sofa.

"Gianini." I whispered harshly with acid dripping from my voice.

Figaro Gianini was one of my father's oldest confidants. They had known each other for years and even though Carlisle was twenty years younger, Gianini looked up to him. They had been working together basically all his life, dealing with everything under the sun that was illegal.

The only problem with Gianini was that he was weak. At the first sign of trouble, he would run until things had calmed down. Long story short, my father was tired of him and he had to be taken care of. Friend or not, there was no place for bailouts in our world. He had to be dealt with. Carlisle wasn't going to spend his time putting up with people who tried to screw him over.

There had been evidence that Gianini was leaking information to the police. Therefore, it was over for him. Currently, Figaro was sickly and in the hospital, recovering from knee surgery so this would be an easy day. Nowhere for him to run.

The man had almost practically raised us and I still remember Uncle Figaro trying to teach me how to shoot a hunting rifle when I was young. He would be missed.

"Can't you two just handle it?" I closed my eyes.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you so moody?" Emmett hit my shoulder.

"Bella." I didn't want to say it but couldn't help myself.

"Did you bang her finally?" Jasper asked.

"Yes." I cringed at the word 'bang'. It didn't seem right for Bella and I.

"Was it as good as I think it was? I'm not asking because I care but I want to tell Alice."

"Alice?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we're going out tonight." He smiled a genuine smile that I hadn't seen in a long time, "Was Bella good?"

"Yes."

"Are you satisfied?"

"No."

That was the first and only time I had answered that question with that answer.

My father, Emmett, Jasper and I left the penthouse an hour later after my brothers laid into me for acting like a little bitch as the put it. I was in no mood to fight them so I just took whatever they dished out. My mother was the only one who came to my rescue but that made them only rag on me harder.

Carlisle drove his new BMW M1 that he had gotten for his birthday across town as little drizzle began to fall. He was talking about something but I wasn't really listening. I was in the back with Jasper, thinking about Bella and what I wanted to give her in comparison to what I realistically could. No matter what I thought, my mother was right. I had to man up but I didn't know what to do about it.

We pulled up to the underground parking garage of Northwestern Memorial Hospital and I sat up in my seat, trying to seek out Bella but I knew it was stupid. The campus was huge, it was raining and what would make me think that she would be around the hospital anyway? This was stupid and I was going insane.

Carlisle parked on the second deck and got out of the car. We all followed.

"You can leave the firepower in the car." My father instructed us, "There's no need." He said cryptically.

Emmett, Jasper and I looked at each other with a strange gaze. I kept my Eagle just in case.

This was the father in Carlisle that scared the hell out of me. He was calm and collected, without a hint of anxiousness. That was why he was the best. I was good but I had a lot to learn.

"Do we really have to do this to Uncle Figaro?" Jasper asked, almost pleading.

Instead of answering, Carlisle just shut his door and started walking through the garage. We followed quickly.

We got into the elevator and he hit the correct button before pulling on a pair of leather gloves. No fingerprints.

We put on our gloves as well and rode the rest of the way up in silence. We looked like a serious bunch of mobsters but no one was going to stop us.

"Black's been watching us." Carlisle mumbled under his breath.

"I'm sorry?" I said.

"Jacob Black, the investigator, he's been following us."

"Oh, is there a problem?"

"No, he's being sloppy and I spot him everywhere but I just wanted to make you all aware."

"I saw him at the gym the other day." Jasper nodded, "He was trying to outrun me on the treadmill, five machines down. Fucker."

"He's starting to get too close." My father adjusted his glove, "I think he was following your mother to the grocery store. She told me this morning."

"I'll do a background check, dig up something on him just in case he tries anything." I sighed. Just another thing to add to my list.

"I'm sure he has something we can hold over his head. Gambling debts, school loans, a sick uncle that needs insurance. He won't be too hard to take care of if he gets close." Carlisle was basically speaking to himself.

We arrived on the sixth floor of the hospital and flooded out of the elevator into a brightly lit corridor. It was the same clinic scene in every movie or hospital with doctors and nurses scurrying around, trying to help patients.

We all walked confidently up to the reception desk where a young looking woman eyed us with a hint of lust. It was the same way everywhere we went especially if it was all four of us together.

What surprised me the most was the fact that I didn't feel the slightest bit of anything for the nurse behind the counter. Her face was replaced with Bella's and I almost did a double take but quickly pulled myself together.

"I'm here to see Figaro Gianini." Carlisle spoke nicely.

"Are...are you family?" The woman batted her eyelashes.

"Yes, I'm his nephew."

"Well..." She twirled a piece of her hair around her finger flirtatiously, "...he's not supposed to have any visitors but I guess I could let you in. Room 609." She winked at my father and I almost vomited.

"Thank you, sweetheart." He replied and smiled before going down the hall.

Emmett, Jasper and I hung behind our father as he sauntered through the hall without a lick of hesitation or fear. I had Il Freddo running through me but he seemed to be fine.

We arrived at room 609 and my father pushed the door open softly.

Gianini was sleeping in his hospital bed, in a gown and IVs hooked up in his arms. His wife Gina was at his side, sleeping with her head on the bed.

Figaro was only about seventy but looked a whole lot older due to all the stress and hell that this job put him through. He had deep wrinkles, an almost completely bald head with whips of white hair coming out in different directions. Gina was his new wife. They married maybe ten years ago but she knew what was going on.

I always that it was funny that her name was Gina Gianini but I kept that to myself. Gina was slightly younger, at fifty and still had her bright, short read hair but she too had deep wrinkles.

"He was a mentor to you, Dad." I said as my father sat in a chair near Gianini's bed, on the other side of Gina.

"He was a mentor." Carlisle agreed, "Don't ever get too attached." He repeated a lesson that he taught us, "I don't trust anyone except for your mother."

"Not even us?" Emmett asked.

My father thought for a second but decided not to answer. He gave a low whistle that woke Figaro up with a start. Once he realized the situation he was in, his eyes darkened and his face paled.

"Carlisle, boys." Gianini nodded to us and the thick Italian accent was making me think of the old days. His voice sounded like sandpaper. The beeping machine he was hooked up to started to tick quicker. His breathing was more shallow and he sat up as much as he could in his bed. The movement shook Gina awake and her lip quivered slightly.

"Are you scared Figaro?" My father asked in the most menacing way that was as a still ocean.

"Of what? I have nothing to be afraid of." He answered.

"Do you think I would bother coming down here if I didn't have a reason?"

"Maybe you wanted to bring flowers." He tried to laugh but it came out in a gurgle.

"Figaro, I don't really have time for this."

"I don't understand."

"La pura verita." In essence, my father was asking for the simple truth, the real truth.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Gianini scrambled to sit up. Gina helped him as much as she could but her hands were shaking so badly, she wasn't much help.

Emmett, Jasper and I just stood near the door without saying anything, our heads bowed.

"Don't play with me Fig. We don't have time to deal with your lies."

"I've been nothing but a friend to you since you were born. I was there when your father died, I was there when your mother died and this is how you treat me?" He pleaded with anger in his voice.

He moved to hit the nurse alert button but Jasper stopped him before he could move.

"I'm sorry." I heard Jasper whisper and Gina started to cry.

"Gina, why are you so sad?" My father asked.

"I don't want to lose him." She whimpered, "He never meant to do anything."

"Shut up." Figaro growled.

Carlisle's patience was wearing thin and things were about to get serious.

"How long have you been leaking information and to whom?" My father sat back and fixed his jacket.

"I don't have to answer to you." Fig snarled back.

Carisle nodded without words and pulled out a small bag from his pocket. I shuddered when I saw the long needle filled with a pale, viscous liquid.

"I never betrayed you Carlisle." He was scrambling for excuses.

"I flushed the information out the back. You don't think I have people in the police department? I'm not stupid Fig." My father spoke low and viciously, "You've been spilling information for months. It was only a matter of time before it all caught up to you."

"They're wrong. They're trying to take me down."

"As they should have. You've never been true to me."

"I have..."

"No, you leave me out to hang while you skip away to some Caribbean island when things get rough." My father interrupted and stood up, moving towards Gianini's IV.

"No, Carlisle, please." Gina pleaded, tears in her eyes. When that didn't work, she was suddenly on her knees, her hands clasped in front of her, trying to grovel at my feet by the door.

I kept my stone cold eyes on here without flinching.

"Edward, your Uncle Fig was at your christening. He always loved you, please find it somewhere in your heart to help him. Please." Her Italian accent was peaked out through her crying, "Please."

"I can't help you." I barely said, "You have to suffer because you broke the rules."

"I didn't do anything, please." Figaro begged but I think at this point, he knew it was over.

He started thrashing around but Jasper held his hand over Figaro's mouth as Carlisle emptied the needle into the IV.

Potassium chloride is one of the most common ingredients in many prescription drugs. It's known as Klor-Con or Klor-Con 8 or Klor-Con 10 or Klor-Con 5. Whatever it was called, it was deadly.

The resultant heart attack that was to follow in Gianini's case was going to have no known cause. Too much potassium in the body causes tachycardia or fast heart-rate, which then leads to something known as ventricular fibrillation; one of many types of cardiac arrest.

Simple, deadly and clean.

It took less than an hour and we all said the rosary with Gianini as he yelled and pleaded under Jasper's grasp the whole time his heart was shutting down. I had to grab Gina and nearly pin her to the wall when she started screaming. I held a gun to her throat so that she would stop her yelling.

Emmett plugged the machine up to himself so that the heart-rates wouldn't alert a doctor and I locked the door.

By the time we left room 609, we were another family member down.

* * *

**HOLY KILLER CARLISLE BATMAN**

**HELLO READERS. THERE YOU HAVE THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE WEEK.**

**WAS IT GOOD? WAS EDWARD THINKING WHAT YOU THOUGHT HE WAS? OBVIOUSLY, HE HAS SOME THINGS TO DEAL WITH IN HIS HEAD BUT HIS FEELINGS ARE STILL WORKING THEMSELVES OUT. HE JUST HAS SOME THINGS TO WORK OUT.**

**HOW SCARY WAS THE BOSS? DID YOU EVER THINK CARLISLE WOULD BE SO RUTHLESS? MORE OF SCARY DADDY LATER.**

**NEXT WEEK I PROMISE SOME FLUFF AND LOVE BUT THE DANGER OF THE MOB IS NEVER TOO FAR OFF. REMEBER THAT.**

**THERE IS STILL THE QUESTION OF WHO WILL FLL FIRST. I GUESS YOU'LL HAVE TO COME BACK LATER.**

**IN OTHER NEWS, MY VERY AMAZING READER, ROSE ARCADIA CREATED ME A BLINKIE. SO NOW, I HAVE A COUPLE FOR THE STORY AND I LOVE THEM ALL. HERE IS ROSES'**

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**MY BETA VICKI ALSO CREATED ONE. **

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**I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE I LOVE MORE. I FEEL SO IMPORTANT. MY EGO HAS BEEN SUFFICIANTLY INFLATED FOR THE WEEKEND. **

**UNTIL TUESDAY,HAVE FUN!**

**PS- WE'RE ABOUT TO CRACK 1000 REVIEWS AND I LOVE YOU ALL!**


	15. Chapter 14

Joie de Vivre

BELLA POV

"_No matter how much you think you love somebody, you'll step back when the pool of their blood edges up too close."-Chuck Palahniuk _

All things related to Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

The beginning of October came with a rush of chills off of Lake Michigan as the leaves turned an odd shade of burgundy, seemingly overnight.

It had been three days since I left Edward's bed without a single word and I was miserable to say the least. I was snippy, clipped, had a very bad attitude and didn't really feel like doing anything but sitting in my room. Unfortunately, real world called and I had to go to school but I would have loved to stay in bed.

As much as I hated it, Edward owned me.

I was hands down, in his command. The day after I left, I spent it thinking about what could have been if I had stayed. Would Edward remember me the next day? Would he even care that I had left? Was he thinking about me?

Of course he wasn't. Why on earth would Edward Cullen be thinking about me? All he wanted was sex anyway. He was probably fucking his way up and down the East coast by now, not a thought in his mind about me or the time we spent together.

That was what hurt the most. The fact that Edward had treated me just like every other girl who had been in his bed. No matter how much I wanted to be in control or how much I wanted to appear strong in front of him, none of that mattered for the simple fact that I was in too deep.

Three days later and I was sitting in class, worse than I was before all of this happened.

If I had never met Edward, I would have been fine and able to live my life without distraction but now all I saw was Edward. That one night that I had spent with him was both the best and worst. There was no doubt in my mind that Edward was the most amazing lover in the world and even with my limited knowledge on the subject, I was more than convinced that no one was going to live up to him in the future. I was going to be faking orgasms for the rest of my life. The sex was the best part of the night but all of that was overshadowed by the fact that I was probably never going to see him again.

He wasn't out looking for me and I wasn't in any position to beg him for what, a relationship? Is that what I wanted? The thing about all of this was that he was making me question everything I had tried to stand against. It wasn't like I was some crusader who came here to fight the man or anything. I was just a college freshman who wanted to get good grades and make something of herself. I made a promise to myself to stay focused and not get sidetracked with relationships or things like that.

_Did I want a relationship with Edward? _

Of course not...maybe...no...yes...

_Damn it!_

Edward didn't do relationships anyway so the point was moot. All I knew was that I wanted to spend time with him, as much time as possible. If that came with sex then so be it but I would be more than happy to just sit with him on the grass and eat lunch. Isn't that what boyfriends and girlfriends did? It didn't matter what I called him but I wanted him bad, in every way possible. Sexually, he was an itch I had to scratch. Emotionally, he was someone I was connected to on more than just a superficial level. He hit me deep and I never stepped into anything halfway, which included the bad, high school boyfriends I had over the years.

Edward wasn't that kind of man and furthermore, it wasn't my job to push him into anything that he didn't want. If he got his fill of me then I was going to have to be happy with that decision.

Alice knew of my slight problem and was trying to do her best to cheer me up, but it wasn't really working. I hated to be a downer so I kept a lot of my words bottled up. Alice was having fun with her new "friend" Jasper anyway. That was part of the reason why I never told her anything. I didn't know what would get back to Edward through his brother. I could only guess what Alice and he were doing when they went out for the night but I didn't question her. She seemed to be happier than normal so I left her alone.

I sighed heavily and tried to focus on the equations on the board in front of me as my math class droned on.

"Bella, maybe you can help us with this equation." My professor spoke loudly.

"Uh...sorry?" I sat up straighter.

"The equation, on the board. Do you know the answer?"

I looked between the board and the blank piece of paper in front of me, not knowing what to say.

I shrugged in a pathetic way.

He just gave me a disappointing look before moving on to someone else. Thankfully, the next four people didn't know the answer either so I didn't look like a complete idiot but at least they were trying. The rest of the class was spent with me just sitting there, with my foot propped up on the seat in front of me while I counted down the minutes.

We were finally able to go after what felt like hours and I put on my light jacket as I walked out into the newly cooler air.

Two days ago, the heat of September seemed to melt away and was easily replaced by the chill of early October. Alice said that it always did that and it would start to get colder as the weeks went from summer to fall and then winter.

I walked through the courtyards and grassy quads where kids were playing baseball or reading. I was done for the day since my literature class was canceled on account that the teacher got really sick. I went back to my dorm and swiped my card at the proctor's table before getting into the elevator and hitting my floor button. I rode up with a weird sense of calm over my body. It was more uncaring than anything else and I felt really sluggish.

The elevator doors dinged and I got out, turning the corner to my hall. I was almost to my door when I lifted my head and saw someone bent in front of my room.

I noticed her as my neighbor, Janice and she was a nosy bitch who was always trying to get in my business. I never talked to her but she tried. On this occasion, I didn't mind her standing in front of my door so much because I was looking past her, to the bushel of flowers at her feet.

I noticed that they were white and red carnations complete with a strange striped pattern. All of them were in full bloom, almost to the point that they looked the size of saucers. There were at least twenty but possibly more.

I stopped dead in my tracks and just stared.

_Could they be..._

"Hi, Bella." Janice nearly jumped when she saw me at the end of the hall, "Nice flowers."

"Thank you." I said softly, not really knowing what else to say.

"So...who are they from?" She rocked back on her heels as I walked closer.

"I don't know." I lied.

"The note says Edward."

My head snapped up and I suddenly got angry, "Don't you have anything better to do than snooping?"

"Not really."

"Well get away from my door." I shooed her away like a fucking dog.

"I want to know who they're from and how did they get up here?"

"That's none of your business." I picked up my flowers and fumbled with my key.

She was about to say something else but I slammed the door in her face, shutting her up. I threw my bag on my bed and set the carnations on the table in front of me. That was when I noticed my hands were shaking.

"Just breathe, Bella." I picked up the note that was attached to the vase.

_-Edward. _

That was all it said.

"What the hell does that mean?"

I booted up my computer and furiously typed on the keyboard, 'striped carnations'. About five million hits came up. I clicked on the first site and read through the description.

_A striped carnation means "No." It is a symbol of refusal, and says, "I'm sorry I can't be with you, but I wish I could. Sorry." _

I sat back in my chair with a rush of air coming out of my mouth.

There were a million ways to say 'sorry' through a million different languages or symbols. The fact of the matter was that Edward sent me a specific version of sorry. He sent me striped carnations and according to the site that I visited, he was sorry for more than he was letting on.

A small smile creased my lips after I went through my ideas for a second.

He was thinking. I had mind fucked him to the point that he was completely and utterly confused. Why on earth would he be sending me these flowers if he wasn't thinking about me and furthermore, what was his in his head from the time I left up until now.

There might be hope for us, yet.

As I sat in my room for the rest of the day, I realized that this wasn't a game anymore and that was kind of scary. Of course, to me, Edward had already made his way into my brain and my heart but what was going on with him? He wasn't playing like he used to be. He was confused. He was questioning. He was probably pulling his hair out.

If only I could see what was going on in his head. He was in the same position that I was. No matter how hard we fought each other, we were being pulled together even if we weren't in the most opportune of situations.

I didn't know if men like him would ever truly change but what kind of relationship was I going to have with a twenty-five year old? On top of that, he thought I was twenty-one. There was a seven year age gap between us but none of that seemed to matter when I was with him. I couldn't imagine a world where we would have any kind of success though.

_I want to be with you but I can't. _

Maybe I was reading too much into this. Maybe he was just trying to send me some nice flowers for the fuck we had, a tangible thank you. One look at my windowsill told me that my track of thinking was off. I had thrown away all the roses for the simple fact that I didn't have any room for them. I kept one flower from each bunch and they were currently sun drying so that I could keep them for awhile. Each of those had messages so why not these?

By the time I was ready for bed, I hadn't done a lick of studying and good thing I had a snack in my room or I would have starved.

It was ten at night and I was in bed when I heard a knock on my door. It was more like a frantic banging so I knew who it was.

"Go away, Alice!" I said from under my covers.

"I have news." She sang, "It's about Edward."

My ears perked up but I didn't move, "What news?"

"Let me in!"

"Let yourself in."

The lock turned and she came through the door mumbling something about having an extra key made. She flipped on the light and then sat on my bed.

"You look nice." I peeked over my bedspread.

"I had a date with Jasper…which is why I have news." Her eyes got bright.

"Let me sit up for this." I moved myself up against the wall.

"Okay, so apparently, Edward's been acting all kinds of crazy since you left him." She said animatedly.

"I never left him." I pointed out.

"Yes you did but that's beside the point. He thinks that you have some kind of demon in you that's making him suffer. I'm exaggerating of course but that's what I got from Jasper."

"Hold on, why are you talking to Jasper about this?"

She shrugged, "We tell each other things."

"Are you two…dating, or something?"

"We haven't gotten that far but stop interrupting me. Anyway, Edward has been just sitting at home and Jasper says that he can't even get up in the morning."

"And that's all because of me?"

"Yes. Edward is re-thinking things and Jasper knows that he likes you…a lot but Edward just won't admit it."

"I figured as much." I nodded and cursed myself for not staying that night. Maybe I should have talked to him first before jumping to a conclusion that Edward would have hurt me.

"And you like him a lot, don't try to deny it." She pointed at me accusingly.

"So where does that leave us?"

"It leaves you and Edward in a stupid position. You're that girl for Edward." She got close to me.

"What girl?"

She actually held my face in her hands, "_That_ girl. The one who can tame the beast."

"I'm not trying to tame any beast."

"It doesn't matter what you want. You're who he wants. He's just scared, like most men in this situation." She rolled her eyes.

"It's not my job to change him Alice." I got out of her grasp.

"You're already changing him. Jasper said that Edward hasn't been out to a club since he met you. He hasn't been high and barely drinks and last night, they tried to take him out to a strip club…"

I cringed from the mental image of Edward throwing money at a busty, blonde, bitch.

"…he left early, claiming that he was sick."

I sat back against my pillows and bit my bottom lip.

_Did Edward really like me? Not just in a sexual way, but in a normal way? _

"I'm starting to sound like a…"

"A girl in love?" Alice threw her arms up and laid on the bed.

"I'm not in love. Stop saying that." I said quickly, defending my sanity.

"He obviously has a thing for you." She pointed to the carnations on my desk, "Those are the fourth bunch. Men like Edward don't send flowers unless they mean something."

"True but I gave him what he wanted, sex."

"Yet he still sends you flowers." She pursed her lips and gave me a knowing eye.

"I can't." I shook my head, "He thinks I'm twenty-one."

"Oh, now you're just making excuses. Who cares?"

"The law. I'm basically a child."

"Eighteen is more than legal and he obviously hasn't caught on so why should anyone else."

I bit my lip again and the room fell silent for a couple of minutes.

"No." I let out a breath, "I can't. I have school and I was thinking about getting a job and…"

"So why can't you have all of that and Edward?"

"Because that's not how things work. He would be a distraction."

"He's already a distraction. You haven't studied all week."

"Damn, why do I like him so much?"I held my head in my hands, "If he was a normal jerk, I could have just left him behind."

"But he's an intriguing jerk. You like that kind of stuff and he's mature while still being immature at the same time. You two are perfect for each other."

"Why are you and Jasper talking about us?" I lifted my head with a glare.

"There wasn't much else to talk about after I gave him my life story."

"Jumping right in, aren't you?"

"He's so attentive." She got a dreamy look on her face, "He just sits and listens to me and he doesn't seem to get annoyed like some guys do."

"I'm surprised he's lasted this long." I said under my breath and she hit my leg.

I thought for a second, "Isn't Jasper kind of like Edward? He seems like that type of guy." I was going off of past experiences at Plasma.

"I thought he would be but he's not, at least not with me. He hasn't got the wandering eye once when we're together. He is so special."

"Well then I'm happy for you."

"I'm happy for you too. He might not say it but Edward is so in love with you."

Alice stayed that night in my room with the excuse that she didn't feel safe walking home so late at night, which I called her out on. I dumped her purse with her two tasers and a can of mace rolling onto my bed. She just shrugged it off and pulled on a pair of my pajamas.

I woke up the next morning, earlier than normal with a million thoughts running through my head but I didn't want to think about them.

I got out of bed lightly and padded towards the door. I closed my eyes and prayed for there to be nothing on the other side. I went out into the hall, opened my eyes, and was greeted by a gigantic heap of pure white, pristine tulips.

I hung my head, "Edward, what are you doing to me?" I bent down and picked up the crystal vase that they were in before bringing them back inside.

I put them down on my desk next to the carnations from yesterday and suddenly my room smelled like a botanical garden. I sat in the chair and took the note that was attached.

_I hope the meaning goes both ways. _

_-Edward_

Meaning?

I quickly started my computer and once it was ready to go, typed 'white tulips' into Google. As usual, I got millions of hits but a site attracted me that was all about the history of flowers. I found the section on tulips and read a certain line four times before anything sunk in.

_White tulips are used to claim unworthiness or to send a message of forgiveness._

Edward was asking me to forgive him?

I read the note he sent again and realized that he was asking us to forgive each other. The absolution would have to come from both our ends because we were both playing each other. Little did he know, he never had to ask for my forgiveness. I gave it to him the second I decided to leave his apartment. At that point, I knew it was more than just sex for me but what about for him?

These flowers over the past two days were making me believe that maybe there might be something for us. He was doing a pretty good job of making himself known but I still hadn't seen him since I left or heard from him for that matter.

I decided to try calling him. I dialed the number I had in my cell phone and waited for the ringing to stop before I realized that Edward wasn't picking up. It was only seven in the morning so maybe he wasn't up. I tried again at eight and then at nine. I even tried texting him in class but that's where I drew the line.

I didn't want to appear clingy or like an oppressive entity that he had to hide from. He was probably busy.

I went about my day on a slightly happier note than normal. Alice noticed the extra bounce in my step and would just shake her head when I made up some excuse. She saw the tulips when she woke up and did a quick search on her phone when I wouldn't tell her what they meant. She had this grin on her face the whole day and was texting Jasper like crazy. I tried to snatch her phone away but she was too quick.

By the time my last class rolled around, I was more than ready to get out for the weekend. I needed some time to just sit back and not do anything.

It was pretty chilly outside but the sun was out so it warmed the air. It was Friday and people were talking about plans for the weekend. Alice was making moves on Jasper and they were going out almost every night so I figured I would be by myself. I was left alone most of the time but I didn't mind.

Since it was a fairly nice day, I decided to sit on the grass and read. We had finished with _The Jungle_ in class and had moved on to _On the Road_, which was a novel by Jack Kerouac. I had never read it before so I was happy to get a new challenge, other than Edward.

I laid down with my head on my backpack and looked up at the sky. Storm clouds were starting to form so I guessed rain was coming but for now, I could read in the open.

I started on page one and by the time I got to page ten, I felt an uneasiness over my body. I didn't lift my head but I could feel the weirdness. By page twenty, I knew that eyes were on me and I took a chance to look around. No one was out in the open but there were a lot of people walking around.

_Maybe I was being paranoid. _

I laid back down and once again, felt eyes on me but this time, the tingles on my body started to rise.

_He was here!_

I sat straight up and looked around the quad like a mad woman. I could feel him and I knew he was close.

Edward was sitting on a bench a couple yards away, looking the most beautiful picture of any male model in the world. He was leaning back in sunglasses, a clean pressed light blue shirt and pants that were probably custom made. I couldn't think anything would fit him that well. His legs were crossed and he was just nonchalantly looking around, nowhere in particular with his arm resting on the back of the bench. He looked more like a professor than student.

I couldn't tell if he was staring at me because he was hiding behind a pair of impressive Ray Bans.

I sat there with nothing to do but let my mouth drop.

After what seemed like hours but was probably only minutes, I pulled myself together and stood up. I put my book away and then threw my backpack over my shoulders, heading in his direction. He turned his head, as if on instinct and saw me coming. A small grin appeared on his face that he quickly let fade away.

I sat next to him on the bench without saying anything and made sure to keep my distance.

Nothing was said for a very long time as we looked onto the quad. The sun was trying to slip out behind the clouds and the storm was quickly approaching. I could smell it.

"I brought these for you." Edward pulled a bushel of white tulips from the other side of him and handed them to me.

"Thank you." I stuck my nose in them and took a deep whiff, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to say something that I never say." He didn't' turn to me but kept his arm over the back of the bench.

"Okay." I drew out like a question.

"I'm sorry." He got the words out like they were poison.

"For?"

"For treating you like every other girl who I've ever met." He finally turned to me but didn't let his eyes out of their sunglass prison.

"I'm not like any other girl you've met?" I was starting to get confused.

He breathed deeply and then smoothed out his hair, "Is there somewhere we can go to talk? I need to say some things and it would be better if we had some privacy."

I looked at the sky, "I would recommend a walk but it looks like it's about to rain. You can come to my room…if you want."

He screwed up his face and then nodded silently.

We both got up from the bench and began walking towards my dorm.

"So, how have you been?" I asked conversationally.

"Okay, I guess."

"Just okay?" I nudged him. I wanted him to loosen up a bit and not feel like he had to be so professional with me. Everything about him was young and old at the same time. Even his walk was old, with his hands crossed behind his back and a slight hunch to his shoulders.

He chuckled, "Yes Bella, just okay. You?"

"I've been good. Nothing much to report from my end."

We continued to walk down the path and I noticed him getting several looks from sluts who I could have killed right there, not caring if their blood was spilt for the world to see. Didn't they see I was walking with him? With flowers in my hands no less. From him!

Edward opened the door for me once we got to my dorm and I signed him in at the station. He had to show his id but there wasn't any rule against people staying over in rooms so it wasn't a problem.

We rode the elevator up in pure silence but our eyes never left each other. By that time, Edward had pushed his sunglasses up so I could see him fully and his eyes traveled up my body in a way that made me almost blush if I wasn't so turned on. The sexual tension was palpable but I didn't give in.

The doors dinged but neither one of us moved for a long second until I realized that they were about to close again. I rushed out and he followed. As I got out my key to unlock the door, I felt Edward's body increasingly close to mine. His breath was on the back of my neck like a furnace and I had to close my eyes to keep my motor skills intact.

I finally managed to get the door open and went inside to put my stuff down.

"You can...sit on the bed." I suggested and put my tulips next to the carnations from yesterday.

I watched him as he scrutinized my room like it was some kind of disease.

"You live here?" Edward took his sunglasses out of his hair and folded them, putting them in his breast pocket.

"Yeah, what did you expect?" I sat in the chair.

"Something suitable. This place is so...small and cluttered. How can you stand it?" He walked from one end of the room to the other, counting.

"It's a college dorm not the Hilton."

"Well I would have hoped that when you reached junior year, you had moved up some."

I snapped my mouth shut.

"You don't like cleaning?" Edward eyed me.

"Cleaning? It's not that bad." I looked around at the minimal amount of mess. Just my desk was out of order and I was glad that I had picked everything up yesterday before I went to bed.

"Bella, this place is filthy." He ran his finger along the desk and then shuddered from the contact, "I would never be able to live here."

"I'm sorry that I can't have a maid like you." I rolled my eyes.

"I don't have maid. I clean everything myself."

"Really?"

"I prefer to clean myself. It relaxes me." He sighed.

I watched him strangely as he continued to count and pace around my room. He was being very strange but for some reason, I didn't think that this was out of the ordinary for him. He seemed to actually enjoy...being weird.

"This place is a pure shit hole." He said, almost angrily.

"It is not. I like my room." I got defensive.

"Is it even safe? What it someone came up here without you knowing?"

"Then I guess they would kill me."

"This isn't a joke, Bella. I don't like you living here."

"Well too bad. This is what I've got."

He continued to eye the space dubiously, "I'm going to call the dorm association. This is unacceptable."

"Edward, did you come over here to criticize my room?"

"No, but now that I'm here, I think we need to get the rubber gloves out. This place is disgusting."

"Stop saying that. I know how to clean."

"Not up to my standards."

"You can sit." I said again and pointed to the bed.

Edward lifted my cover like it contained the plague and then after a minute, considered it safe enough for his royal ass to sit upon.

"I see you got my flowers from the other day." He nodded towards the carnations that I still hadn't thrown away.

"Yeah, thank you."

"I'm glad you liked them." He said.

"What are you doing here Edward?" I asked, not being able to take my eyes off of his.

"I...I don't know. Why did you leave the other night?"

"I had to." I answered simply.

"Why?"

"I didn't want to be where I wasn't wanted." I played with the hem of my shirt.

Edward let out a deep breath, "Bella, look, I don't know what the hell is going on with me but...I miss you." He said like he meant it but didn't really want to, "I have no idea what's going on."

"You don't miss me. You miss the sex." I corrected.

"No. You know what I did last night?" He asked and I shrugged, "I jacked off...by myself. I haven't done that since I was thirteen and hiding porn under my mattress."

"Why didn't you call one of your many women?" I crossed my arms.

"I thought about it but...it didn't seem like the right thing to do."

"Why?"

"Because I felt like I was cheating on you." He pulled at his hair.

"But we're not..."

"I know and that's what's killing me. You've messed me the fuck up. I can't even think straight."

I went to go sit next to him on the bed but didn't get very close to him, "Edward, you have no idea what's going on in my head. I'm so confused when it comes to you but..."

"Just stop, Bella! Please." He got up and started walking, "I have a certain way of life and you don't fit into it. I can't have you coming in and messing everything up."

"I never meant to mess things up." I snapped, "That wasn't my fault. What about all the games you played with me, the flowers, the dates? It was all just to get into my pants and..."

"Please, don't act like such a saint. You were leading me on." He snarled.

"Women don't lead men like you on. You're always in control and no matter what I ever do, you'll always be in control and you know it. I was just trying to bring you down a few pegs."

"Bella, you frustrate me so much...but, the fact of the matter is that I can't seem to stay away from you."

"Because I gave you the best fuck of your life?" I asked sarcastically.

"No, well yes but that's not it."

"Well, that's not my problem. You can't give me what I want so I don't know why you're here."

"What do you want? Just ask me." He said, almost pleading and looked at me dead in the eyes.

"I...I don't know. If you would have asked me that question a month ago, I would have said that I wanted to make good grades. Now, things have changed."

"Changed? I don't understand."

I walked towards him and he backed up but there wasn't anywhere for him to go, "Are you scared of me? Are you afraid?"

"No. I'm not afraid of anything."

"Then why are you here? We had sex, you got what you wanted so leave me alone, please."

"I can't do that."

"Why? Leave me alone." I pushed him against the wall. I was so mad at him for coming here that I was about to just call the police or something, "You fuck and drop. That's what you do so let me go."

"Fine, I'll walk out of that door and then what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to live my life without you."

"With some other guy?"

"So what if I do?"

"I don't like that. I can't see you with someone else because that's just fucking wrong." Edward's eyes held a certain level of fierceness that was slightly scary.

"I can do whatever I want."

"No you can't. I won't let you."

"You won't let me? Who do you think you are? Last I remembered, I left my father back at home."

"I'm not your father thank God but I won't let you be with some pimpled face, scrawny, college, frat boy who won't remember the color of your eyes after his drunken fuck."

_The color of my eyes? _

"Once again, you don't control me. I'll see whoever I want." I nearly stomped my foot but stopped myself.

"I don't know what's wrong with me but I hate thinking of you with some other guy. They can't have you, Bella." He held my shoulders tightly and I calmed down, thinking about what he was saying.

"What are you going to do about it?" I asked, "If you don't want me with anyone else, what are you going to do?"

"I don't..."

"Don't say you don't know. You're scared of me and I can see it. You're terrified of what could happen."

"Because I've never felt like this before." He yelled and started breathing heavily, almost to the point of hyperventilating but reigned himself in, "I can't do this, Bella. I can't give you want you want."

"I'm not the normal girl you have in your bed." I sighed.

"I know and that's what's killing me. I don't have...feelings like this. I can't be with you."

"Is that what you want? To be with me?"

"Is it _you_ want Bella?" He looked at me with such passion that I didn't know what to do.

"Sometimes, I just want to sit and watch you. I want to spend time with you and I don't care if we're naked or not."I mumbled.

"I can't stay away from you anymore but I don't know how to do this. I've never had to do this."

I pulled him to the bed and we both sat down, "Edward, you don't have to be nervous around me. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I've always been the guy who gets women and not cares but I care with you and I feel like a fucking pussy." He rubbed his eyes and groaned.

"Just because you like me, that makes you a pussy?"

"Yes. I've never had to deal with this but with you, I...it's making me feel strange."

"You've never felt this way?" I ran my hands through his hair, inching closer to him and he didn't push me away.

"No." Edward didn't lift his head to me.

"You've never liked someone on more than a sexual level?"

"No."

"You've never just spent time with a woman?" I couldn't help being so close to him and kissed below his ear, pulling him into me.

"No." He breathed but still didn't turn.

"You've never wanted to just spend time with a woman?"

"No."

"Then we're both in a bad position. I can't teach you how to be a boyfriend." I kissed the same spot again.

"Is that what I am?" He finally turned to me, our lips ghosting by each other's.

"If I say you are." I grinned.

"I guess I'm at your mercy." He kissed my lips so softly, I almost didn't feel it.

"Just don't play games with me anymore, please. I can't take the games."

"Just don't expect me to change because I can't." His voice was sincere and heavy with a certain hint of hopefulness.

"I'm not asking you to."

He pulled back from me slightly and just looked straight ahead, past me even.

"Bella, there are certain things about my life that I can't tell you."

"What does that mean?"

"I...my life is just...peculiar."

"Peculiar?"

"Yes, you might see some things that you won't understand and you might meet some people that won't come off as the best but I need you to trust me when I say I won't let anything bad happen to you."

"Edward, what are you talking about?"

"Just trust me."

"I do." I nodded and he smiled sadly.

"You shouldn't. I'm not a good person Bella."

"Why do you keep saying that?" I pushed him all the way back on the bed so that I was on top of him, looking down, my legs on either side of his lap. He didn't oppose my movements and adjusted so that we were comfortable, "You're not a bad person."

"I feel like I've known you forever so I want to tell you things that I shouldn't but...you'll just have to wait until I can trust you fully."

"Okay, I'm not asking for anything. I just want to spend time with you." All my time.

"I need to be with you Bella but I don't know how to do this." He looked heartbreaking.

"So let me get this straight, you've never been a boyfriend?"

"No and I don't like that word so you have to find something else to call me." He said seriously.

"I'll work on the wordage later but you have a lot of work to do. How are we going to do this?"

"I already hate that I've changed but I have. Don't expect me to be a softie though...just with you. I can be soft for you but no one else." Edward's tone was very stern but I could tell that he was trying to be nice. Maybe nice wasn't the right word to use but that's all I could come up with right now.

"You're a jerk." I poked his chest.

"I can't help it."

"How about we do a trial run?"

"Trial run?"

"I need to see how you act. You have a lot of work to do and I don't know how this is going to turn out."

"What about the boat, all those dinners? I fucking brought you lunch." He laughed, "I can be a nice, monogamous, normal guy if I want."

"How will you act now that you don't have an end goal in mind?" I raised an eyebrow, "Some relationships last for years. Can you stay tame all that time?"

"Can I kiss you whenever I want?" He pulled my face down, our lips almost touching.

"Yes."

"Can I come over whenever I want?"

"Yes."

"Can I take you out whenever I want?"

"Yes."

"Then we'll work out the rest later." Our lips melded together sweetly. The taste of him after three days was enough to make me see stars. His lips were so soft and strong at the same time. He wasn't overly wet and didn't make weird noises. He was nearly perfect.

"What made you change your mind, about seeing me?" I barely got the words out because I was kind of high from his kisses.

"I was reading Rousseau."

"As in the French philosopher?" I asked and he nodded.

"He said that the joy of life was what made you question what you know. It makes you think and makes you wonder about your world in relation to how you've been living. You are my joy of life, I guess."

"Joie de vivrie." I said in French. I knew what he was talking about.

He nodded, "I can't admit that to anyone else. You make my guard crumble and that's scary."

"I never would have thought that you would be a man to open up this way."

"Me either and if you tell anyone, I'll deny it." He chuckled.

"I promise to not humanize you in front of your brothers."

He pulled me down the rest of the way so that his lips engulfed mine.

I felt his physical attraction growing under me but that didn't bother me one bit. We kept kissing, our tongues meeting each other, for who knows how long. By the time we pulled apart, we were both breathless and his hair was a complete mess, evidence of my fingers going through it.

"Do you want to stay?" I asked him as I saw the sun go down outside of the window.

"But...it's dirty in here." He looked around, almost scared.

"No it's not. Stop saying that." I kissed him again.

"I guess I could stay but..."

"Have you ever slept with a girl without sleeping with her first?" I asked, he knew what I meant.

"No. I told you I don't know what I'm doing." His voice was shy.

I laid down on his chest and his arms stayed at his side. It was almost as if he was afraid to touch me.

"Don't be afraid of me." I whispered.

It took a couple of minutes for him to seem to melt away but he toed off his toes and finally wrapped an arm around my body.

That was how I fell asleep.

* * *

**HOLY SWEETWARD BATMAN**

**SO, WHAT DO WE THINK? HOW ARE BELLA AND EDWARD GOING TO DO THIS? CAN YOU SEE EDWARD BEING LIKE ANY OTHER NORMAL BOYRFIRED? AS I SAID A LONG TIME AGO, HE WILL NEVER BE TRULY FLUFFY SO DON'T EXPECT HIM TO BE. OUT MOBWARD IS UNDER THERE SOMEWHERE.**

**WE ALL KNEW THIS WAS COMING. THEY FINALLY HAD "THE TALK" AND ALL SEEMS TO BE ON THE RIGHT ROAD. WE CAN FINALLY BREATH CALMLY.**

**HE REALLY CAN WE SWEET IF HE WANTS TO BE. POOR EDWARD.**

**SOME QUESTIONS I GOT IN REVIEWS LAST WEEK.**

**DO BILLY AND CHARLIE KNOW EACH OTHER? NO, I HAVEN'T REALLY GONE INTO JACOB'S BACKGROUND BUT HE HAS NO CONNECTION TO BELLA AT ALL. HE WILL BE BACK IN THE STORY, VERY SHORTLY ACTUALLY, BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW BELLA OR VICE VERSA NOR DOES HE KNOW CHARLIE.**

**ANOTHER QUESTION WAS IS BELLA WAS ITALIAN. I HAVE MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THAT SINCE WE ALL KNOW THAT FAMILY LINEAGE IS A BIG THING FOR THE MAFIA AND CULLENS. YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT ON THAT ONE. IT'S A PLOT POINT THAT I DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP YET.**

**THINGS WILL WORK OUT, I PROMISE. I LIKE HAPPY ENDINGS. DON'T FORGET THAT.**

**ON ANOTHER NOTE, WE PASSED 1000 REVIEWS!**

**YES WE DID AND WITH ONLY 13 CHAPTERS. IM SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW. THAT'S WHY I DECIDED ON THE EXTRA CHAPTER FOR THE WEEK. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING AND I PROMISE TO CONTINUE ON WITH THIS STORY SINCE EVERYONE REALLY SEEMS TO LIKE IT.**

**I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**COME BACK TOMORROW FOR ANOTHER CHAPTER.**


	16. Chapter 15

The Weight of One Choice

EDWARD POV

_"Either we're going to solve this by realistic negotiation or there will be blood on the border."-__Tom Metzger_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

For the second time in who knows how many years, I had slept. It wasn't that light kind of sleep either. It was the full on, coma, almost death sleep that wouldn't wake anyone even if an earthquake was going on.

I opened my eyes and almost sat straight up in the strange bed until I felt a weight on my chest as it rose and fell. I looked down and saw a petite body on top of mine. I suddenly realized where I was and how I got there.

_What the hell was I thinking? _

fThe clock next to me was flashing eight and I cursed myself for staying here with Bella. This was not a good idea. There were so many things that were going through my head but I didn't know how to sort through them.

As I looked at Bella, I noticed that my arm was around her in a way that a normal boyfriend's would be. Is that what I was? It didn't feel right to me but as I said last night, Bella was my joie de vivrie and I really did mean that. I believed it.

Yesterday, I sat on my couch, with no intention of visiting Bella but what was I supposed to do when she was calling me like this? She was literally pulling me towards her and I couldn't stay away. I would never admit it to anyone but I was scared for probably the first time in my life.

I didn't know what the hell I was doing.

I was beyond lying to myself. Bella was a person who I wanted on more than a sexual level. I liked being in her company and I enjoyed just listening to her. I wasn't staring at her chest the whole time she spoke even though I would have been happy to but something about me didn't think of her as a sex symbol.

That fucking scared me.

I didn't know how to do this. How was I supposed to treat a girl right? How was I supposed to be monogamous? Did Bella expect me to change overnight? Was Bella trying to turn me into something I'm not?

I had tested out my theory that I was a different person but I wasn't. To everyone else, I was still the same cold, distant, bastard that I had always been. The weird thing was that with Bella, I could have been any normal guy. To her, I was warm, I was attentive, I was...caring. It almost made me sick but I couldn't help it. I knew my mother could tell the change in me but I hoped no one else could. I had a certain image to uphold and I couldn't afford to appear soft.

Bella was making me think that I would actually make a good boyfriend.

As much as I hated that word, I couldn't deny that that's what I probably was. I felt possessive over Bella, like a boyfriend would. I felt that I should treat her better than a slut, like a boyfriend would. I wanted to show her off and tell her things about my life, like a boyfriend would.

Could I really do this?

There wasn't any harm in trying, right? The only problem was that I didn't know how to be charming and continuously good, especially not for a girl like Bella. I was a monster, I was a bad person for her to be around but I couldn't stay away from her. I just couldn't see her on the arm of another man because she deserved someone better than these fucking college kids. Was I any better than them? Hell yeah I was but there were still complications with this.

Like I said, I wanted to tell Bella things and that was dangerous. In my line of work, outsiders couldn't be let in. I would need her to trust me fully and even though we barely knew each other, it felt like we had been together since childhood. I wanted her to know about me, I wanted to show her what my life was about. I hoped that would scare her away. She needed to leave on her own because I couldn't leave her.

I looked down again and saw the position I was in.

Bella was sleeping with me, actually sleeping with me and we didn't have sex. That had never happened before. My arm was wrapped around her tiny body and I took a chance to run my hand against the skin of her arm that was uncovered by the shirtsleeve that went up as she slept.

She was so soft against me and I had to remind myself that she was real. Bella was nothing like the other women who I had slept with. She was too good for me, a man like me but what was I going to do?

The main question in my mind that I was confused about was what we were to each other. Did she consider me her boyfriend? Was she my girlfriend? Did we have boundaries and rules? I didn't do those things but could I for Bella? I answered myself 'yes' yesterday but now that I was here, in this situation, I didn't know. I was questioning myself.

What kind of relationship could we have? I didn't know how serious this could get but I felt like we were already too deep. This was dangerous but Bella was worth it.

I sighed quietly and Bella must have sensed my movement because she curled up closer to me, gripping at my shirt with her fingers. I think I heard her mumble in her sleep but I couldn't be sure. Her head was right under my chin and I could smell the sweet scent of her shampoo as it tempted me. The funny thing was, I didn't have any sexual urges towards her. Well, I would always be sexually attracted to her but right now, I didn't want to throw her down and fuck her. I just wanted to lay here.

I stroked her arm again and again, trying to make this feel natural. The truth was, I was like a virgin all over again. I had never had a woman who I wanted to spend time with, someone I wanted to get to know. I was awkward with my touches and didn't really know what was acceptable. Bella was going to have to teach me.

I kissed the top of her head and just let my lips linger there, letting her taste stay with me. I didn't feel like running away or dropping her off on the street. I wanted to stay.

_What the hell is wrong with me? _

I made a promise to myself right there to not change for anyone but Bella. I could be good to her but I wasn't going to be someone different just because she was here.

Bella and I had slept over eight hours, in the same clothes we were in yesterday and I didn't even feel dirty.

Looking around her room was a different story. She might not be able to see it but I surely could. Bella had clutter everywhere and it wasn't necessarily unclean but it sure wasn't neat. How could she live in a place like this? It was so fucking small and there wasn't even any place to put furniture.

I stared at her ratty clothes, her nearly broken laptop, her busted up cellphone and I had the sudden urge to go buy her everything under the sun because she definitely needed everything new.

My criticizing was interrupted by my stomach that growled almost loud enough that I thought Bella would wake up. She stayed still and I let out a deep breath.

What would a normal boyfriend do in this situation? Since this was the beginning of a relationship I guess, a normal man would still be trying to flatter Bella. Maybe I should do that. I was definitely going to have to have a talk with my father on this subject.

My stomach growled again, making me realize just how hungry I was. I hadn't eaten since maybe breakfast the morning before. I needed to get up and I made a plan to get breakfast. If I was hungry, I knew Bella must be as well. The only problem was that we were a tangled pile of limbs.

Starting with my legs, I softly got out of Bella's grasp although it wasn't easy without waking her. It took half an hour but I was finally able to stand up straight and stretch my much relaxed muscles. I felt like I was waking up from a coma.

I picked up the Eagle that I had stashed under Bella's bed after she went to sleep. I always had a gun on my body wherever I went and it had never caused a problem but I was going to have to be careful that she never suspected anything.

I went into the small ass bathroom that my closet dwarfed and looked in the mirror. I was kind of shocked by what I saw. The permanent bags were gone, I looked stronger and maybe five years younger. It must be from all the sleep I was getting lately because I never looked this...healthy.

Once again, my stomach wouldn't let me sit still and I tried to find something to wash up with. Bella's stuff was all over the counter and I had to close my eyes to keep my head from spinning at the clutter. I settled for just washing my face and running my hands through my hair. I made sure that my clothes didn't have any wrinkles in them. I would handle the rest later.

I think this was the first morning in ten years at least that I hadn't taken a shower right when I woke up. I didn't even want to think about that though.

I was about to leave the room when I stopped and thought about what a normal boyfriend would do in this situation.

I turned back to Bella and gave her a light kiss on the cheek, "I'll be right back." I said softly.

I stood up straight and didn't feel any different after my moment of affection. It didn't feel awkward either. Maybe I could do this.

I made sure I had my wallet and phone. I left the room and shut the door with a thud and then looked down the hallway. I took one step before a very mousy looking girl popped her head out of the room next to Bella's. She reminded me slightly of Alice although she had blonde hair instead of black.

"Hi, I'm Janice." She said and eyed me up.

I didn't say anything but just quirked an eyebrow. I was in no mood to talk to anyone.

"I saw you come in last night with Bella but I was waiting for you to leave. You slept over?" She gave me a suspicious look.

Instead of answering her, I just walked past towards the elevators without saying a word. They went down to the first floor and I walked into the lobby where the same guy from last night was sitting at the front desk.

"Hey dude, sweet night?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"What is wrong with you people?" I asked him, not hiding the anger in my voice.

"What?" He said innocently, "You didn't come down throughout the night so I assumed..."

"Well don't." I snapped.

"She was hot."

I was about to pull out the gun that was in my belt to blow this guy's fucking head off but then I remembered that he was a civilian and I couldn't go swinging my gun all over the place. I calmed myself before this dude was drowning in a pool of his own blood and gave him a steely glare.

"Look, I'm going to be back in a couple of minutes so I need you to let me back up." I said without emotion.

"Oh, no can do bro." He leaned on his elbows, "Someone has to sign you in."

This would be so much easier if the guy from last week, who sent the flowers up, was still here.

"I don't want to wake her up." I was getting annoyed, "Just let me up when I come back."

"I don't think I can." He was playing with me.

I sighed angrily and pulled out my wallet before throwing a hundred at him, "I better not have to haggle with you when I get back." I said and walked out of the door, pushing myself into the chilled air of a Chicago October.

I went into the quad in front of Bella's dorm before walking down the street that was located right near my house. I don't think I had noticed it before but she was situated basically in downtown. I navigated the early morning streets easily but for some reason, I felt like I was being followed.

I walked slowly yet purposefully and pulled out my phone to make it look like I was talking to someone. I stopped on a corner and put on my sunglasses before looking around secretly.

I spotted Jacob Black and his fucking goons as they spread out over the sidewalk. The streets were crowded so I wouldn't have noticed them if I didn't know what they looked like and to be honest, it wasn't that hard to spot a cop even in plain clothes.

_Son of a bitch!_

I made sure to keep my cool. It wasn't the first time I had been tailed but just like this morning when fucking Janice tried to talk to me, I was in no mood to deal with this. Why couldn't I have been just a normal boyfriend?

I sighed and just kept walking down the beginning of State Street as people parted down to let me get by. I kept my head down and my phone to my ear so I could appear to be nonchalant. My heart wasn't beating, I wasn't sweating and I didn't have The Chill. This was just another routine morning in the life of Edward Cullen.

I went into the first Starbucks I saw and I knew Black was just bold enough to follow me in. He was wasting his time though.

Since it was early morning and all the yuppies were out in full force, there was a line but I could wait.

I stayed on my phone, now checking the news since I didn't have anything better to do.

"Nice to see you out and about." I heard Black's gruff voice from behind me.

I turned around and saw him standing there with his cup of coffee and another tall man, about his size, next to him. They looked almost like brothers.

"Black." I nodded, "Anything I can help you with?"

He sipped his coffee, "No, just taking a walk."

"Following me?"

"You caught us did you?" He chuckled.

"Not that hard to spot jackasses like you." I shot back and was actually enjoying our repartee. He was a smart man when he wanted to be but just a little thick.

"We try to stay in the shadows." He sipped his coffee again, "Whatcha doing out so early?"

"Just came from visiting a friend." I moved up in line.

"Anyone we know?"

"No." I clipped. I didn't want him knowing about Bella but there was no way to hide her from the police.

I looked from Black to the man standing next to him who had on jeans and a nice shirt, basically plain clothes meaning that he was trying to be undercover. I knew he had to be at least my age but could have passed for a high schooler. He looked that young.

Black saw me eying him, "Oh, how rude of me. This is my deputy Seth Clearwater. Seth, Edward." He introduced us. We shook hands without any words between us.

"Any reason why I'm being followed?" I asked and turned my back to Black.

"You weren't. Us being the good friends that we are, I saw you go into the dorms last night and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

I laughed, "Bullshit. Why am I being followed?"

"You know why."

"Have you found anything yet?" I held a constant smirk on my lips.

"We will."

"You can't spend all your police time on little old me."

"Let us worry about police time. You'll slip up one day. Who were you visiting?" He asked.

I kept silent and my eyes forward.

"Another one of your conquests, no doubt." Clearwater said from my right.

_Who the hell was this kid? _

"Who was she?" Black moved into my eye sight, "A hot coed? Another waitress?"

My fists bunched at my side and my lips melded into a tight line. I was about to kill another person today and it was only nine in the morning. Just another piece of evidence of how I hadn't changed with anyone but Bella.

I didn't say anything because if I blew up in this Starbucks, it wouldn't be pretty.

"Who was she, Edward?" Black got closer, almost in my face.

"You're lucky you have a group of fucking police outside because you're going to need them all to arrest me after I kill you." I snarled.

"Is that a threat?"

"Of course." I smiled, almost pleasantly.

I finally moved up in line to the counter.

As I ordered a full spread of coffees and breakfast pastries, I saw Black and his deputies leave out of the corner of my eye. I could breathe easily now that I didn't have to watch my back. That bastard would always be on my tail but I would just have to make sure that I didn't let Bella get involved in all of this.

Did I make a bad decision? The weight of my choice to be with Bella might be dangerous but to be honest, I couldn't fight the attraction. I might die from it.

I walked out of Starbucks with three bags of breakfast stuff and a holder of four coffees. One was black, like I wanted it, but I didn't know what Bella drank so I got her some options.

As I walked down the street, I spotted Clearwater following me but he veered off about five minutes in. I knew the Feds' schedule down to a T. They would lay off of me for a week and then be back later with the same tired routine. It was pretty pathetic but they were just a formality.

I made it back to Bella's dorm ten minutes later and the douche bag was sitting at the station with his nose in some car magazine.

"Yeah, yeah." He waved me by without a glance and I moved past.

I was in the elevator when my phone rang in my pocket. I took it out and saw that it was Emmett but I didn't feel like answering him. I shoved it back in my pants and tapped my foot while the elevator went up. It dinged on Bella's floor and I counted down until I got to her room.

That was when I suddenly realized that I didn't have a key. That provided me with a predicament.

I put my ear to the door and tried to hear what was going on over there. I couldn't hear movement but more of what sounded like sniffling. I knocked lightly and waited. There was shuffling and then Bella opened the door.

"Hi." I said as a greeting.

She looked at me and let out a breath, "I thought...you left."

"Why would you think that?"

She shrugged, "I thought you were trying to get back at me. That would have been a very you thing to do." She half laughed and wiped her cheek.

"Were you crying?" I felt like shit because that was something that I would do normally.

"No." She got defensive, which told me that she had, "I think I'm getting a cold." She stood aside so that I could come in.

"I brought breakfast. I wasn't gone for long." I sat on the bed and she did as well. I didn't really know how to deal with this situation. What was I supposed to say? It was obvious that she was upset with the thought of me leaving like she did with me but I had no idea how to help a crying woman.

"I wasn't crying." Bella must have been reading my thoughts.

Her attitude towards me was kind of funny and...sweet? God, I hated the adjectives I using to describe Bella. They weren't necessarily in my vocabulary. I didn't use words like cute, adorable. They made me sound like a pussy. I would have to watch my language.

"Edward, can I ask you something?" Bella sat against her pillows.

"Sure." I handed her the first bag of pastries.

"You asked me to trust you last night but...how are we going to do this?"

"Do what?"

"Us, this." She pointed between us, "You don't know how to be a boyfriend, you don't know how to be monogamous, you have never been in this situation before and when I thought you left this morning, I was wondering if you would ever be able to earn my trust. I said I would but your past experiences have made me see that it isn't that simple."

I hung my head in shame and felt like a child. Never in my life had a woman made me feel like shit but Bella was doing a pretty good job. Another piece of evidence of how I could go from complete Italian mobster to a pussy whipped, new boyfriend in seconds.

"I can try but like I told you, I can't change who I am." I said.

"I know and I don't expect you to but how am I supposed to know that you won't walk out or that you're not screwing every girl behind my back?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"Since the first time we...had that night, I haven't even gotten hard at the thought of another woman."

She stayed silent for a second, "Is that true?"

"I wouldn't lie to you." I lied out of my teeth and that almost killed me.

"Can we just...take this slow? I need to know that you won't hurt me and I hate that I'm sounding like some emotional teenager but I don't have a choice when it comes to you. You make me feel like...I'm in high school again."

I had to laugh at that because that's exactly how I felt.

"Can we just eat breakfast? We'll worry about the rest later." I suggested and she got a slight smile on her lips.

"Thank you for this." She held up a coffee.

"I didn't know what you liked."

"This is fine. Cream and sugar." She took a sip and then licked her lips.

"Can I kiss you?" I had the sudden urge and couldn't help my words.

"I said you could last night."

I leaned in and my morning really began.

We didn't do anything more than kissing and I never thought I would say that but it felt good to just be with her in any way possible.

We ate breakfast and didn't do much but talk but she made me laugh. Bella was the first woman who made me laugh with her sarcasm and quick wit. Bella had the ability to make me feel like a fucking kid and at the moment, I didn't care. We spent the whole day in her bed, not doing anything but talking and eating the stuff I got from Starbucks. At some point, I knew I was going to have to go and get some more.

We kissed whenever we felt like it and that was the best part. There were no more pretenses, no more games and no more schemes. It felt good to just be there with her. That was something I didn't think I would ever say about a woman. After a while, I didn't even really notice how messy her room was even though she kept insisting that it wasn't.

I had her set some boundaries for me because I obviously couldn't do it by myself. The trial run was over. I wanted full blown monogamy and I didn't know what was wrong with me. I didn't think of it going both ways really but then Bella said that if I could see other girls, then she could see other guys and I wasn't having that so I had to take the hit. That was a conversation where Bella's true nature came out.

I couldn't help but laugh when her possessiveness emerged and it was almost as strong as mine.

My phone vibrated on the bed as lunch rolled around.

"Who's calling this time?" She asked me when I looked at it.

"My brother again." I sighed. I knew why he was calling but I didn't want to deal with it.

"They seem nice." She rested her head against the pillows.

"Who, Jasper and Emmett?"

"Yeah."

"They're okay. Don't tell them I said it."

"I promise."

"Don't you have studying to do?" I asked and looked around at the books on her desk next to the flowers I got her.

"Of course but one Saturday without books won't kill me." She ate a piece of the last donut.

"What are you studying?"

"Officially, literature but I think I'm going to change it to something more practical like business or law." She rolled her eyes.

"Why would you do that? Why not do what you love, which is obviously reading and writing?"

"Well unlike some of us, I don't have a massive amount of money to squander away." She climbed into my lap and pushed me up against the wall.

"I could pay for your school." I said in all seriousness.

"Edward, please." She groaned, "I don't want anymore or your money. All the dinners and boat rides, they must cost a fortune."

"So." I shrugged.

"So...I don't like it. Promise me that I won't be getting any expensive jewelry or cars."

"Hell no. I like buying stuff, especially to impress you." I kissed her.

"Careful, you're getting to be a big old softie." She giggled.

"I can't help it with you. Have I passed the boyfriend test so far?"

"A+"

"Good. Any plans for the day?" I asked her.

"No, just hanging out. You?"

"I have to leave you around..." I checked my watch, "...six."

"For what?"

"Business." I answered simply.

She raised an eyebrow, "Business?"

I let out a deep breath, "Bella, I told you that there were certain things that I can't talk about...not yet at least." I didn't know how deep this relationship was going or what was going to happen in the future but I wanted to tell Bella about my life. The only problem was that I couldn't. Maybe later but not right now.

"So, what you're saying is, you're not a real estate agent?"

"Not exactly, no. That's all I can say." I tried to be as truthful as possible.

She nodded, "I figured."

"Does that bother you?"

"No, just make sure you're not doing anything illegal." She poked me.

"I'll try." I half chuckled. Little did she know, I did something illegal every day, "What gave me away?"

"You said you liked to be self sufficient and not live off your father's money. I looked you up online and you've sold two penthouses in the past year so the money has to be coming from somewhere."

"Stalker." I accused her.

"I just had to make sure."

After lunch, we continued to lay on her bed and do absolutely nothing. It was the first day in a long time that I did nothing productive but I would make up for it later tonight. Emmett kept calling but I kept ignoring. For the time being, it was just Bella and I.

I tried to make her study even if I didn't really want her to but she didn't seem to want to do anything but talk and I was okay with that.

"I feel like I've known you for a long time." Bella said as we just stared at the ceiling. I had counted forty-seven spots on it and I was about to clean the whole wall but I kept my body calm.

"How is that possible? I just met you."

"I know but we're just so..." She paused, "I don't have a word for it."

"I know what you mean." I sighed.

"Do you ever get bored?" She turned to me, "I mean, you have all this money and a beautiful house but don't you ever wish you had something more?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. I just couldn't be so rich and not do anything with it. You could give back or start a charity or build a school, something."

"I never thought about that before but that's not me. I don't do those things."

"I know, but you could. How else are you going to spend all your money?"

"On you."

"I told you about giving me gifts. I don't want them." She glared at me.

"It's rude to deny someone the pleasure of giving gifts, Bella. Shame on you."

"I've always been that way."

"Well things have to change if you're going to be my girl."

"Be your girl?" She said slowly, "This isn't the 1950's, Edward." Bella rolled over laughing.

"I know. I just wanted to hear what it sounded like."

We stayed quiet for a little bit, just thinking and breathing.

My phone went off again and I took it out of my pocket with a groan. As I suspected, Emmett was calling again.

"Sounds like you need to go." Bella looked at the clock and it was almost five.

"I don't want to." I said honestly.

"Duty calls." She sat up, "I understand. I wouldn't want to keep you from your real life." She grinned.

"I can always make up an excuse." I was just trying to prolong my stay, "We haven't even had sex yet."

"Whoa there, Stallion." Bella held up her hands, "First, yes, that first time was incredible and amazing but I'm trying to work on my self control so don't expect a regular roll around."

My face fell slightly.

"Two, I need you to get tested."

"Tested?" I asked slowly.

"Yeah, I was thinking about it and I was so stupid not to ask about...what's going on down there." She pointed to my crotch.

"I used a condom."

"Which is good but I'm not getting a nasty itch from you."

I laughed, "I get one every month so you don't really have to worry about that."

She raised an eyebrow skeptically, "Well in any case, we won't be having sex everyday." She got off the bed and I followed, pulling on my loafers at the end of the bed.

"I bet I could change your mind about that." I got off of the covers and trapped her with my hands at the door.

"Edward Cullen, are you trying to bend my will?"

"Yes." I kissed her lightly on the supple skin of her neck. Her perfect neck.

She picked my face up and kissed me without any hesitation.

It felt good to have this kind of closeness with each other and for some reason, I didn't feel weird at all. Like she said, it was like we had known each other forever. How we had come to this point, I wasn't necessarily sure but I was done questioning this attraction.

If Bella wanted to tie me up, I would let her. If she wanted me to get tested for every STD out there, I would. If she wanted to paint my nails...well I wouldn't let her do that but I hoped it never came to that.

"I really do have to go." I whispered against her lips.

Bella nodded, "Okay. When will I see you again?"

"Tomorrow." I answered eagerly. I would have taken her with me tonight but where I was going wasn't a place she needed to be.

"Go. Emmett's calling again." She laughed and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I still hadn't relinquished her from my prison so she was still trapped between my arms with her back pushed up against the door.

"He can wait."

"He's going to knock the door down." She kissed me, grabbing my shirt.

"Let him."

Twenty minutes later after a deep and breathless lip-lock, I was finally able to leave even though I didn't want to. I swear that I would have chained myself to the bed so I wouldn't have to go anywhere but business called.

I didn't bother talking to Emmett because I already knew what he wanted so I just stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked back home, which was only about fifteen minutes but that was at a leisurely pace.

I went into the building and had a strong urge to just go back for Bella but I had work to do and I had wasted enough time today so I forced myself to buckle down. I got up to my penthouse and spent exactly twenty-seven minutes in the shower like I always did, completing my routine and then wrapped a towel around me waist. I clicked the lights in the bathroom on and then off and then on again before walking into my room.

My phone was on the bed and I looked at it to see that Emmett had called another three times.

I decided to answer him. It rang once before he picked up.

"_I swear to God Edward, we have been looking for you all day." _He grumbled.

"I know. My inbox is filled with your rants." I went into the closet to find something to wear.

"_Where the hell were you? _

"Busy." I answered and pulled on some boxers.

"_Busy?" _

"That's what I said. Why were you calling me all day? I'm not supposed to be at The Amber Room until nine."

"_I know but Ma wanted to know where you were." _

"Liar, you wanted to know where I was." I started to dress in my newly tailored, slim fitting, single buttoned, charcoal gray, Armani suit complete with a pressed white shirt and matching tie. I was only half listening to my older brother's ramblings.

"..._so anyway, we have work to do tonight. Don't slack." _

"I always bring my A game, especially when dealing with the Irish."

"_Don't be scared of them buddy boy. I'll keep James in line." _

I didn't even bother responding to that comment but just groaned.

"_Don't be late." _Emmett finished our mundane conversation before hanging up.

The Irish.

What can I say about the Irish?

Well, for one thing, the Denalis perpetuated every stereotype out there about the nation that birthed leprechauns and pots of gold. James Sr., the ex-head, was some rich merchant who made all of his money bringing over illegal things back in the seventies. He died, leaving his son James Jr. in charge.

All together, there were probably a couple hundred under his command between here and Dublin. Now, James had whittled the entire enterprise down to cocaine from Vietnam, making the whole family name pretty much dirt in our world but we had been doing business with them for a while.

James was about ten years older than me, always drunk, barely understandable through his thick Irish accent and didn't really have any boundaries when it came to the law. The rest of the family included Laurent who was silent but extremely deadly. I hadn't ever heard him speak a word although I had seen him kill a man with his bare hands. He wasn't that macho and didn't have that scary a look about him but a lot of people were terrified by him. Why, I didn't know. James and Laurent were brothers of the worst kind. Always getting drunk and causing mayhem wherever they went.

Their youngest sister was Tanya and she was a supreme bitch even though we had a few good fucks back in the day. I would say that she was the closest thing I had to a normal relationship since I was thirteen although now, I didn't have any desire to see her. I prayed that she wouldn't be at The Amber Room.

I didn't feel right talking about the Irish in a bad way because even though we were Italian, Cullen was an Irish last name by lineage. We just chose to keep it and that upset some people back in Sicily but what were they going to do about it?

I was ready to go about an hour later and spent most of my time spinning my thumbs. I really wanted to call Bella or text her at least but I knew she was probably busy with studying so I refrained. Besides, I would see her tomorrow bright and early.

I kept an eye on my watch until it was about eight-thirty before I got up from the sofa and grabbed my keys. I was in the elevator a second later and hit the parking garage button. Of course, Jasper had to get on when we got to his floor.

"Hey, bro." He hit my shoulder hard, "Haven't seen you in about two days. Another blackout?"

"No and I don't know why you would assume I was doing something with drugs."

"I'm just going off past experiences. Where were you?"

"Out."

"Out? Like with Bella? Alice says you're with Bella a lot these days." He said almost giddily.

"Damn. I forgot those two were friends." I passed a hand over my hair.

"Yeah, so what's up with that?"

"Nothing, we're just hanging out."

"Whatever." He shrugged and leaned against the wall with a knowing grin. We stayed quiet the rest of the way down.

The elevator doors dinged and we went into the parking garage. Jasper followed me to the Saleen, which was currently parked in a far corner.

"Can I drive?" He asked and I threw him the keys, not wanting to bother my mind with the rules of the road.

"If you get one scratch on her..." I warned.

"I know, I know." He got in the car, "You know Ma will want to meet her."

"Of course." I sighed and got in.

We raced through the newly darkened streets of the city towards one of Jasper's many clubs.

Unlike Plasma, The Amber Room was seedy and shady to say the least. It was basically a strip club and not one of those pretentious ones that just gave the illusion of sex. It was filthy with ass, titties, and whatever else your mind could imagine. A lot of the girls who worked there gave promises to themselves that they wouldn't take off their clothes or things like that but they quickly found out that if they wanted to compete, they would have to do a little more than just slide down a pole.

Surprisingly, The Amber Room was still classy and had a certain amount of decorum that other strip clubs didn't.

The Amber Room was a favorite of James' so that's usually where we did business although he was distracted sometimes but as long as he was happy, things would work out.

On our way there, I popped the floorboard under my feet and searched through my extensive collection of guns.

"Which one are you getting?" Jasper peeked into the floor.

I thought for a second before pulling out a simple Grande Puissance 35 made of black steel.

"When did you get this?" He asked and I checked the magazine.

"Dad gave it to me."

"I want one." He complained, "I never get the cool stuff." He took it from me, inspecting it.

"Give me my gun." I snatched it from him.

"I think I need to go through Dad's stash. He always keeps the good stuff."

"If you weren't so trigger happy, you might get something nice for Christmas."

"Shut up. I'm not trigger happy, I just like to shoot."

"Exactly."

We pulled through the almost packed parking lot of The Amber Room and went into the very back where I saw Emmett's Mercedes. Jasper drove up next to his car. I got out as Jasper was leaning over to get a gun out of the floorboard.

"Didn't you bring your own?" I asked.

"Yeah but I want to try one of these." He dug deeper.

"Make sure that floor is locked. I don't want someone stealing my shit."

"Yeah, yeah." He locked the floor and then got out, heading into the club.

I followed quickly and stuffed my Grande into my belt.

The Amber Room was named as such for the thick amber color that flooded the whole club. It was almost red everywhere and locked almost like the color of brandy. Poles were from floor to ceiling and trained girls contorted their bodies around them.

Jasper made sure to pick only the best for his club and all the girls were exceptional in what they did.

Private rooms were in the back for "special customers" who were willing to pay top dollar to live out their wildest fantasies. Men and a fair amount of women enjoyed shows on the floor while drinks were handed out by waitresses in skimpy clothes.

Bouncers and bodyguards were everywhere just in case. We had never had a big problem with security. Jasper made sure that everything was kept in order but only came in this place maybe once a week compared to his other places of business.

I walked up the stairs to the second floor offices and went into Emmett's where our meeting was taking place. He was sitting at his desk with his head in a book of numbers. Jasper went to the pantry and started drinking a liberal amount of Jack Daniels in the corner.

"Where the hell were you all day?" Emmett nearly bit my head off.

"With Bella." Jasper replied before I could.

I just shot them both an evil glare.

"What, is she your girlfriend now?"

"No." I answered quickly.

"Don't lie to me, Eddie." Emmett got up from his chair, "You are so hot for her, it's almost making you seem like a real man."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means, that you're growing up." Emmett had a monstrous smile on his face, "Isn't it sweet, Jazz? Our baby bro is all grown up."

"The both of you can shut the hell up." I sulked to a chair and sat down gruffly.

"It's okay to be normal for once Eddie."

"It's not like I'm in love with her." I said.

"Not yet." I got a cryptic reply from Jasper who hit my head.

The intercom on Emmett's phone rang and he hit the button to answer it, "Yeah."

"_James is here. Should I send him up." _

"Yes please. Thank you." Emmett fixed his tie and we all did the same.

"Get ready for him." I said under my breath.

We waited for a minute before we heard the loud and heavy footsteps of a six foot, one hundred eighty pound man.

James busted through the door with his arms outstretched, stinking of cheap vodka and beer.

"Hi ho, Cullens!" He spoke in a semi-thick Irish accent, "I've been waiting to see you boys again."

"James, my main man." Emmett went to greet him and they did their normal stupid bonding thing that they did. He was the only one of us who could really stand the Irish prick.

"It's been too long." James patted him on the back. Laurent followed behind him with a bag, which I hoped was our stuff.

Pleasantries were exchanged and I tried to keep my distance but James always seemed to want to talk to me. We all kept up an act of professionalism about us except for James who was too hammered to really even care.

Ten minutes later, it was time to get to it.

"Okay, so what do you have for us." Emmett clapped his hands together.

James snapped his fingers and Laurent placed his heavy briefcase on the desk. He popped it open and swung it around to us where about twenty-five, packages of tightly wrapped, cocaine were sitting in rows and columns.

"Perfect." Jasper ran his hand over one of them and picked it up. He used a Swiss Army knife to cut the pack open and fine white powder poured into his palm.

James began his rant, "Beautiful from the rolling hills of Vietnam."

"You can't go back to Columbia, can you?" I snickered.

"Shut up. Those stupid..." He calmed himself by taking a swig of beer, "Anyway, you won't find anything better. Cut perfectly and never touched by human hands. Only glove wearing Asian kids get close to this stuff."

I took a sniff and felt the high already. I dipped my finger in the white power and let it rest on my tongue so that I could taste.

I didn't even think before I pulled my gun out of my belt and pointed it straight at James' face. It all happened so quickly but not so fast that Jasper and Emmett couldn't react on the dot. They pulled weapons as well and we were standing our ground against Laurent who was silent as ever but had two impressive pieces of steel pointed between us. James was too slow to get anything done so he just looked at us like we were crazy.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked, slightly slurred.

"What the fuck is this shit you're pushing?" I snarled.

"It's the good stuff. What are you talking about?"

I threw the already opened bag back at him and the coke dusted his body like baby powder. It covered his face and his clothes. He blinked his eyes a couple of times and then licked his lips.

"What's wrong with it?" He shrugged.

"Don't fuck with me, James." I made one step and Laurent moved towards me. I was about to shove my gun down his throat when Jasper pulled me back.

"I think what Edward means to say is that this isn't what we ordered." He tried to calm things down.

"I don't see what the problem is." James was still messed up.

"You might be too drunk to taste it but this isn't good shit. What the hell is this cut with?" I asked, no emotion in my voice.

"The regular."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, the regular. Sugar and backing soda."

"How pure is this? Don't lie to me." I pointed my gun at him, my arm was strong enough to not get sore or tired.

His eyes shifted for one second but that was all I needed to know that he was questioning himself, "Okay, look, you can't really get pure shit anymore. It's not my fault."

"Like hell it isn't." I walked around the desk. There was a lot of movement from Jasper, Emmett and Laurent but I wasn't paying any attention to them. All guns were drawn and the single slip of the finger could cause someone to lose their life, "We get what we pay for. I'm supposed to get twenty-five kilos of sixty percent pure coke. Where the hell is it?"

"You know I can't get that stuff for you. If I go back to Colombia, they'll kill me and this is all I can get from Asia."

I grabbed him roughly by his collar and shoved him towards the door, "Don't make promises you can't keep."

We were almost to the door when I felt the cool metal of a gun at my temple.

It took me one second to swing my arm around and pistol whipped the fuck out of Laurent. I heard a small crack that sounded in the air like a bottle rocket as he went down to the carpeted floor. He was a big guy so he was kind of fazed but not knocked out.

He got up and his lip was twitching in anger. He made a lunge but Jasper held his gun to Laurent's throat, his finger just centimeters from ripping his throat out.

"Okay, okay. Let's all calm down." Emmett stood in between us, pushing me back but I was about to kill the fucker.

_Who the hell did he think he was?_

"I can't get you anything better." James held his hands up, almost cowardly.

"Then I want our money back." Emmett said coldly.

"I...I can't go back to Dublin empty handed." He shook his head.

"Fuck you and your humiliation. Give us our money." I almost jumped Emmett to get to Laurent who was still growling at me.

Emmett gave me a scolding look.

"This isn't how this night is going to play out. I'm not having the police in my club." Jasper pushed James out of the door, "Come back with our money tomorrow or you can be the one who explains to Carlisle why he doesn't have his order."

James grumbled all the way down the hall.

"Get out." I pointed at the door when Laurent didn't move.

He didn't say a word but didn't move either.

I blew a fucking hole above his head in the molding of the room and the shot rang out in the closed space. No one flinched a muscle but the intent of death was there. I would kill him if he didn't move in the next five seconds.

He backed away slowly and his eyes never left mine. He finally went out of the room and I was still reeling after ten seconds of pure silence.

"What the hell was that?" Jasper asked furiously, inspecting the ceiling.

"That fucker is going to get his ass kicked." I shoved my gun down my belt.

"Edward, you can't deal with things like that." Emmett sighed.

"Why not? He tried to scam us."

"Still, you can't go killing everyone you come across. We'll be in a war we don't want."

"That's not my problem. Why is nothing up to our standards? First Shinobu and now James. What the hell?" I ran my hands through my hair.

"They're all scared of us."

"So why don't they get what we ask for? This is ridiculous."

"Just calm down." Jasper went to the desk and shut the briefcase, "We can use this for now and then if things don't work with James soon, we'll let Dad handle it."

That was a threat that no one wanted to see come true.

* * *

**HOLY MOBWARD IS BACK BELLA**

**I TOLD YOU ALL THAT HE WASN'T GOING ANYWHERE. DID WE REALLY EXPECT ANYTHING DIFFERENT? I DIDN'T THINK SO. HOW ABOUT EDWARD'S TRAIN OF THOUGHT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAPTER?**

**HE'S SO CONFUSED AND TRYING REALLY HARD TO BE GOOD. HE JUST NEEDS TO TRY A LITTLE HARDER.**

**ONCE AGAIN, I KEEP GETTING SO MANY COMMENTS ABOUT BELLA'S AGE. ONE REVIEWER EVEN CALLED HER A HYPOCRITE FOR KEEPING SECRETS. GOOD LORD FOLKS, IT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL ALTHOUGH SHE THINKS IT IS. I PROMISE THAT THE AGE QUESTION WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, ON FRIDAY, WHICH IS A BEAST BY THE WAY.**

**BUT AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, THE AGE THING ISN'T THE BIGGEST DEAL. DID EVERYONE FORGET THAT EDWARD'S IN THE MOB? MAJOR PROBLEM. I CAN'T STRESS THAT ENOUGH.**

**IN OTHER NEWS, LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON OUTSIDE OF THE STORY.**

**SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE RECOMMENDED THIS STORY TO OTHER SITES AND I'VE GOTTEN AN INFLUX OF REVIEWERS WHO HAVE BEEN SENT OVER TO THE STORY. THERE HAS BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORKS, THAT I'VE DECIDED TO START A BLOG. YOU CAN FIND IT HERE:**

http:/johnnyboy1029(dot)blogspot(dot)com/

**NOTHING IS REALLY OVER THERE RIGHT NOW BUT ONCE YOU READ THE FIRST POST, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND A LITTLE MORE. HOPE THIS MAKES CONTACTING ME AND TALKING EASIER.**

**GO OVER AND CHECK IT OUT!**

**COME BACK ON FRIDAY FOR A BEAST OF A CHAPTER. UP NEXT…BELLA MEETS THE CULLENS. DADDY C MAKES ANOTHER APPERANCE. OH, NOOOOOO!**


	17. Chapter 16

Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory

BELLA POV

"_A tragedy need not have blood and death; it's enough that it all be filled with that majestic sadness that is the pleasure of tragedy.__"-__Jean Racine_

All things related to Twilight belong to SM.

* * *

Just like many mornings before, I was woken up by a sharp knocking at my door. To be more correct, it was a loud banging so I already knew who it was.

"Alice, go away." I yelled and covered my head with my pillow.

"No, let me in."

"I mean it, Alice!" I looked at the clock and saw that it was six fucking thirty in the morning.

There was no way in hell I was getting up this early, especially on a Sunday. She must not know me because nothing in our past history suggested that I would ever wake up at this time.

Edward had left me last night around five and since then, I had been studying. I needed to nearly bury my head in books because I had wasted so much time with him over the past two days, not that I was complaining.

Things seemed to happen so fast with us and I didn't really know what to think about what we were starting but I decided to just ride with it.

Yesterday, we were suddenly declaring ourselves. I was so glad that he wasn't mad or annoyed with me for leaving. I debated with myself whether this was right or not but I couldn't deny the fact that I had fallen hard for this man who seemed to take over my life. He was in my dreams, in my thoughts and now I had him emotionally, physically, every way possible.

_He was mine. _

I was through playing games because to be honest, I couldn't stop the feelings that were coursing through my body at this point. I was putting myself out there for better or for worse. If I got hurt, I got hurt but I was going to take that chance because I had to be with Edward. It wasn't an option.

The good thing about all of this was that I felt Edward wasn't playing games anymore, just like me. We were done and I cursed myself for wasting so much time trying to take him down when I could have been just enjoying what we together. I could see it in his eyes that he truly cared for me, how much, I didn't know just yet but I was going to find out. I couldn't go back now.

Alice's thunderous pounding brought me back to reality, "Bella, I mean it. We don't have time for you to sleep in."

"And why not?"

"Because, we have to go to church."

_Say what now? _

I sat up in bed out of pure curiosity. I looked around the room to make sure that I wasn't in some alternate universe. I was still in the same surroundings as usual except for the fact that I had some demon banging on my door.

I got out of bed like I was a zombie and trudged over to the door to let Alice in. I poked my head out, "What did you say?" I looked her up and down. She was in pajamas and bunny slippers.

"I said, we're going to church." She pushed her way into the room and pulled a gigantic clothing rack behind her. There must have been ten or fifteen outfits all in garment bags that hung from hangers along the metal bar. It was on rollers so Alice didn't have any trouble maneuvering the thing.

"What the hell is all of this?" I asked and shut the door, making sure no one saw her.

"Edward had me get you a whole bunch of stuff." She plopped down on the bed, "Did you know they all have black cards? Oh God, I was dying..."

"Wait, what? Edward had you get me stuff?" I repeated her words.

"Uh...yeah." Alice spoke like it was obvious, "You didn't think you could be Edward's special friend and stay out of church, did you?"

"Special friend?"

"That's the word he used when I asked, being nosy as usual. He didn't want to use the word 'girlfriend' but I knew what he meant."

"Okay, we'll get back to your butting into my business later but what the hell are you talking about with all these clothes." I shifted them on the rack.

"Oh yeah, well Edward called me yesterday and he asked me if I could go shopping for you."

"For what?"

"For church. If I have to say it one more time, I'm going to scream." She rolled her eyes.

First of all, Edward knew that I didn't like gifts and I sure as hell didn't like clothes. This was more than curious to me and I was going to have a long talk with him about getting me a whole rack of clothes. That was not going to work.

Second, I hadn't been to church in years. With Renee being obsessed with a new religion every week and Charlie spending his worship time on a fishing boat, I didn't really have piety very high on my priority list. Furthermore, I had a laundry list of things in my head that would dispel the fact that Edward was religious himself. I didn't have anything against religion but I just didn't practice it that often. I believed in a higher being although I didn't know what was up in that massive expanse above us.

"I don't think I belong in a church." I shook my head.

"I know they don't act like it but their family is very religious. Jasper said he hasn't missed a Sunday of church since he was three."

"Okay, that's great but why do I need to go." I got back in bed.

"Like I said, you can't be with a Cullen and not go to church." Alice ripped the sheets off of me, "Do you need to shower?" She went to the rack and thumbed through the clothes.

"No, I took one last night."

"Well good, I need to pick you something that will make you stand out."

I pouted in bed, "Are you going?"

"Yup, I went last week too. It's fun. I haven't been to church in years." She actually giggled, "It's only an hour."

"But...they're Catholic, aren't they?"

"Yeah, so." She said without looking at me.

"It's not like I care but I haven't been to a Catholic service in...a really long time."

I thought back to the one semester of Catholic school that I went to in Phoenix when Renee demanded that I try it. Thankfully, I left for Forks after a couple of months so I didn't have to deal with the torture for too long.

"Neither have I but there's no going back now." Alice replied giddily with a smile and continued to look through the clothes.

My phone vibrated on my nightstand and I snatched it up angrily.

_Good morning, beautiful. I trust that you're up by now.-E_

He had the nerve to text me right now?

_Don't talk to me. I have a few things to say to you but since I have to attend church today, I'll refrain until tomorrow.-B_

I got a reply twenty seconds later.

_Oh, Bella. You're wonderful wit is even more delightful in the early morning hours. I'll be there in about an hour. Mass starts at eight. Be ready with a smile.-E_

_I hate you.-B_

I texted back and put my phone on silent so that I wouldn't have to hear from him until later.

A little warning would have been nice. It wasn't that I was mad I had to get up so early but I didn't know how to do this. I was going to have to mentally prepare myself for worship and I suddenly felt ashamed. I needed to find my rosary and holy water and Bible and...a priest. I had so much to confess.

I got off of the bed and went over to Alice, "He asked you to buy all of this?" I tried to unzip a bag but she slapped my hand away.

"Yeah, he gave me his black card and I went crazy with it."

"How much did all of this cost?"

"He told me not to tell you." She looked at me strangely.

"Because he knows he's about to get in trouble." I grumbled.

"I found it." Alice sang and pulled out a white garment bag.

I was pushed into the bathroom so that my face could be put on. I was still pissed that I was up with the sun but I had to just suck it up. I huffed and puffed the whole time Alice was doing my makeup and she looked at me like I was a work of art.

"What are you wearing?" I asked, getting more and more nervous.

"Something cute. I actually have to go back to my apartment so I can change. I didn't bring my things here."

"You walked over here in your pajamas?"

"It was just across campus. No one cared."

I sighed and bobbed my foot up and down hastily, "I think the church might burn down."

"I wouldn't doubt it. I hear someone is having her sex dreams again." She eyed me in the mirror.

I just looked at her dumbstruck.

"I could hear you from the other side of the door." Alice laughed, causing me to blush furiously.

"Can you blame me?"

"No and if you knew what Jasper and I did last night, you would look like a saint." She sighed lovingly.

"Disgusting." I said.

My makeup and hair were done quickly and then Alice left me to go back to her apartment. She demanded that I put on the clothes she picked and if I walked out in anything less than perfection, she was going to kill me. On a Sunday no less. She left at seven-fifteen, giving me only a short while to get ready.

I just bit the bullet and stepped in what she laid out. Alice had left my hair to flow down my back, styled with a clip and my makeup was done subtly.

The tag on the dress read Victoria Beckham. Since when did she start making clothes?

The dress was a light purple color that clung to my body but wasn't overly tight. It flared out at the waist slightly until it fell a couple of inches above my knee. The collar was a slight scoop neck that dipped around my collarbones and the sleeves were capped on my shoulders. The whole thing was very sophisticated but still youthful.

"Really, Alice?" I held up a strand of pearls that I was supposed to wear and just put them on without complaining. I didn't know if they were real or not but I didn't want to know.

My shoes were a cream colored, pair of platform pumps with a rounded closed toe. The heel was fucking four and a half inches, which I counted with my fingers. I was almost crying as I put my feet into them.

I went to look at myself in the bathroom mirror and I had to admit that I looked flawless as usual but I would still hate Alice for the rest of my life for this. I looked like a sad imitation of Jackie Kennedy and I prayed that I wasn't overdressed. I would come across as a complete fool. Since I was already decked out to the finest, I decided to put on my mother's watch.

I sat on my bed and waited, checking my phone.

_I'm running kind of late. I'll be there soon.-E_

I stuffed my wallet and phone into my clutch that Alice provided for me and left the room, making sure it was locked behind me.

I walked through the halls, almost tip toeing to make soft noises so I didn't wake fucking Janice.

I made it to the elevators and tapped my heel as I descended. I made it downstairs and walked out of my dorm building into the crisp early morning. It was kind of chilly but nothing too bad. I sat on the same stone bench that I always did to wait for Edward.

I checked my watch as the clock ticked seven-forty five and I was getting more and more anxious about this. Should I have prepared or something? I knew the mechanics of a Catholic service and was actually glad that my mother made me learn them so I didn't look like a dumb ass.

I let out a deep breath and crossed my legs to wait.

Five minutes later, I heard the roar of a car that had to belong to a racer because I didn't think anything with that powerful an engine was legal on normal roads.

Edward's red Saleen screeched to a halt in front of me and the back wheels actually lifted off of the ground slightly. He rushed out of the car and quickly came to the bench.

"I'm so sorry I'm late." He looked flustered but still beautiful in a dark suit that fit him perfectly and a white shirt along light purple tie that matched my dress.

_Damn Alice!_

I stood up and smoothed myself out, "It's okay."

"No it's not. Esme is going to kill us." He led me by the small of my back to the car where he opened my door.

"Shit, your parents are going to be there?" I spun around.

"Of course." Edward chuckled and moved some hair out of my face.

"Well you didn't tell me that."

"I didn't think I had to. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be going. Believe that." He groaned.

"I can't meet your parents." I shook my head.

"Stop worrying."

"Do they...know?"

"About what?" He asked innocently.

"About...us." I said hesitantly.

He quirked an eyebrow, "I haven't said anything mainly because I don't know how to tell them that I have my first...girlfriend." He said that word like it was acid.

I found that kind of funny and couldn't help but half laugh, "You're so cute when you're flustered."

He ran a hand through his hair, "I can't help it. You make me so...I don't know."

I nodded in understanding because I felt the same way.

"You look very beautiful by the way." Edward looked me up and down, "Extremely beautiful."

"All Alice." I said.

"I don't think so." Edward leaned in dangerously close, "Alice had nothing to do with what I'm looking at right now." He kissed me so softly, I almost didn't feel it.

He pulled back way too soon for me but I was thankful that he did so that I could breathe.

"You look nice too." I said lamely.

"I always do for church." He gloated, "Get in the car. We're already late."

I sunk down in the low seats and Edward closed my door before running to his side. He was in, locked the doors, and started the car all in one motion.

He peeled off so quickly that I was thrust back in my seat. I made sure my belt was around me tightly.

"Speaking of how beautiful I look, I heard you gave Alice your credit card to shop for me?" I turned to him.

Edward shrugged, "I noticed that you didn't have anything appropriate to wear so I just decided to buy you what you needed."

"Okay, first, this wouldn't have been a problem if you would have told me that I was going to church and second, I don't like gifts."

"These aren't gifts. You can't be going to church every Sunday in jeans, especially not this church."

Edward honked the horn loudly as slower cars got in his way.

"Slow down and why am I going to church every Sunday?"

"Because...it's expected." He said like he was shy of something.

"What does that mean?" I asked, not understanding.

He brushed his hand through his hair again, "Okay, look, I don't know what you would call us but I was on the track of a girlfriend/boyfriend type thing."

I nodded, "Okay..."

"And as you know, I've never really done this before but it's kind of...expected for me to bring you if we are in that kind of relationship. Italians are about three things: religion, food, and family. If you're in the family, you have to be a part of everything that comes with it."

I thought about what he was saying and then a small smile came to my lips, "So...what you're saying is that...I'm a part of your family?"

"Is that all you got out of what I just said?"

"Are you telling me it's not true?"

"I'm getting used to this Bella. Don't push me." He kept his eyes on the road ahead and I leaned back in my seat with an odd feeling of gratification.

Edward was slowly shedding his outer skin for me. He was becoming more of a...human if that made any sense.

The rest of the ride was filled with Edward's shouts, complaints and curses at all the traffic that we had to battle across the city. I had to brace myself against the door on several occasions when I thought I was going to die. Literally, I thought I was going to die.

By the time we rounded the final corner, I could see a massive granite structure in the distance and I was begging to see solid ground again.

"Edward, we're going to have to talk about your driving." I panted as he halted in a parking lot next to a very expensive looking Mercedes that was a ways down the street from the church, "Why are we all the way down here?"

"It's easier to get out of traffic. There are over six hundred people who go to this church."

"What?" I almost screeched.

"Yup and we sit right up front." He smirked at me, knowing that my nerves were not slowing down. On top of everything else, I had to meet his parents.

_Great!_

"I can't believe this." I opened the car door and got out easily. Edward was already at my side, trying to help me.

"It's not that bad and only about an hour. Plus, we're already fifteen minutes late so that's good."

"And you couldn't have told me about this yesterday."

"No, I wanted you to be surprised." He joked.

"You are the most impossible man I've ever met." I started to stalk off down the street but Edward caught me by my wrist and turned me around so that I was pressed against his chest.

His lips were on mine, devouring me with soft yet rough kisses that melted me further into his body. His hands were on my hips, caressing and massaging while my fingers crept up to his hair, pulling him closer. Our kisses slowed after who knows how long and the wetness from our tongues was enough to make me forget my name.

"Shame on you Edward Cullen." I said when he released my lips," On church property?"

"I couldn't help myself. I don't have control around you." He kissed below my ear, "That's very dangerous Isabella."

"You're making it very hard to think clearly right now." I pushed away from him and took several deep breaths, calming myself.

"We're going to be doing Hail Mary's for the rest of our life." He said and ushered me forward in the direction of the massive stone church that was at the end of the street. It had a giant, rose, stained glass window in the middle with steeples and large oak doors.

I took everything in and stood up straighter as Edward opened the doors for me.

I went inside, my feet hitting a smooth red carpet and the voice of whom I assumed to be the priest, filled my ears.

"Just don't let them intimidate you." Edward whispered to me as ushers opened another set of dark doors with gold handles.

"Who?" I asked.

"Everyone." He answered and nearly pushed me into the church.

I walked forward, with Edward's help and as I looked around, I didn't understand how the whole world could be in a recession but the Catholic Church seemed to only get bigger. How the hell did they get all of this money?

The first thing I noticed was that everything on the walls was covered in gold, marble or granite. I could have sworn that I was in Europe with the giant ceilings, stain glassed windows and ornaments that adorned the church.

Edward and I were walking on the lower level, right up the main aisle but if I looked behind me, I could see a massive balcony that probably held at least three hundred people. We seemed to walk forever on the red, satin carpet that covered the floor, close to the left side where Edward was leading me and dark pews held families that seemed very interested in what the priest was saying.

I could spot Alice almost in the front row, maybe three pews behind. I also saw Jasper along with the huge man from Plasma, a blonde woman, a blonde man, and a honey haired lady who I could tell was Edward's mother. I couldn't see their faces but my heart was thumping faster at the prospect of making a fool out of myself in front of Edward's parents.

Just as I was telling myself to calm down and not do anything embarrassing, I felt my foot catch the hard wood of a pew only halfway down the aisle.

Not only did a loud thud ring out all over the church, ricocheting off of the stone walls, but clumsy me stumbled and stumbled hard.

Edward caught me before I smashed my face into the carpet but as I stood back up and stared around, hundreds of eyes were on me. The priest stopped preaching, I heard murmurs, stifled giggles and my own heart could probably be heard in China.

_Sweet baby Jesus!_

People up front actually turned their whole bodies to see what commotion had disrupted their early morning rituals and I could feel the penetrating gaze of skeptics from behind me who were nearly ripping me apart with their eyes.

"I see I'll have to hold onto you." Edward whispered in my ear, wrapping his arm around my waist and pushed me forward more.

At this point, my feet were like led, my whole body was covered in a permanent blush, my ears were still ringing from the clunk I just caused and I'm sure I looked like I was hit by a Mac truck.

No one's eyes moved from me and Edward as we approached his section. I kept my head down so that I didn't have to look at anyone but I could feel them.

I was finally able to sit down next to a chuckling Alice, with Edward on the outside of the pew near the aisle. His parents were behind us, Alice and Jasper were to my left and the blonde woman along with Emmett were even further down the pew. We took up the whole thing. I sat slightly awkward against Edward because I didn't want to have any contact with him. 1. because we were in church and 2. because we were under the vulture watch of his parents.

"Great entrance." Alice whispered to me and I shot her a death stare.

My first Catholic service in five years and I was already condemned to the fiery puts of hell.

Throughout the whole Liturgy of the Word, I kept my eyes straight, not wanting to cause any more damage to my reputation. I wasn't really listening but neither was anyone else I was sitting next to. I could feel it. Edward was actually going out of his way to be defiant, checking his phone almost every five seconds.

I got very suspicious of this when his breathing turned to frustrated sighs and his hands began to tangle through his hair more frequently. Emmett also had has phone out so I figured they were texting each other.

I looked slightly to my left to see the most beautiful woman in the world next to Jasper and Alice. She had long, flowing blonde hair and big blue eyes that I could drown in. Her face was angelic and slightly chubby but still toned at the same time. Her lips were pouty, her nose was regal, her chin was perfect and her skin was flawless. My eyes shifted between her and the painting on the wall behind her, which portrayed an angel. She could have been the model for it.

The big guy next to her was Emmett. I had found that out through Alice. He was the oldest Cullen brother and he looked it. He was muscular and brawny while still having an air of innocence. His dark curly hair was piled on his head and I couldn't see his eyes but I assumed they were attractive.

Everything about this family was beautiful.

I shrunk back into my seat when I realized that I was a Plain Jane among Greek creations.

_Damn it!_

I looked across the aisle where I found that people were still taking glances in my direction. There were some girls who must have been about my age, with stares that would kill a bull. Some other girls' mouths were dropped and I could have sworn I saw a few of them mouth a 'fuck you' my way.

After the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist began.

To be honest, I found this whole thing very showy and hyped up. Couldn't I just give a silent prayer and that be it? Thankfully, I knew the rituals for the prayers and kneeling and so forth so I could keep up with the rest of the congregation.

"You do this every Sunday?" I whispered to Edward.

He grinned, "Twelve years of Catholic school and my parents have taught me that religion is always number one in my life." He almost laughed.

"That's not a bad thing. A moral code is good to live by."

"Yeah right. This stuff has gone in one ear and out the other since I was five."

"Shame on you." I joked.

The service was finished ten minutes later after some announcements and since Edward and I were late, we kind of missed all the important stuff.

People started to get up after the priest said one final prayer and crossed us in unison.

The conversations resumed and the pews started to empty.

I turned around and was met with a lady of maybe thirty but she was supposed to be Edward's mother. How the hell was that possible?

She had hair that I could now see was more caramel than honey and it was pinned up nicely in a bun. Her heart shaped face was adorned with deep green eyes that were darker than Edward's but I could see the resemblance. The man next to her was regal and statuesque with a strong jaw line and blue eyes that almost made me squint. His platinum blonde hair was shining in the lights and if I didn't know any better, I would have sworn that he was a college student. I knew that his parents' names were Esme and Carlilse but not much else. Edward never talked about them.

Before I could say anything, Edward was pulling me out of the pew, towards a side entrance of the church that led from the sanctuary to some hallways.

"Edward, what are you doing? I was about to say hi to your parents." I said as he dragged me out of the door into the shining sunlight.

"You'll meet them later, at dinner. I have a few things to warn you about first." He spoke seriously and pointedly as he quickly rushed me to the parking lot down the street.

When we reached his Saleen, he unlocked it and opened my door, shoving me inside before going to the driver's seat.

"Okay, what's going on?" I moved some hair out of my face that was windblown.

He started the car without a word and pulled out into traffic like a monster. I could see his family along with Alice standing on the street, walking towards the same parking lot we just exited. Emmett and Jasper looked confused, the blonde angel looked irritated, Alice looked docile, Esme looked concerned and Carlisle...well he looked downright pissed.

Edward didn't even acknowledge them as he sped onto the highway, leaving the church behind.

"This is ridiculous, what the hell is wrong with you?" I asked, bracing myself for the ride ahead.

"Just shut up while I think." He growled.

_Was he talking to me? I don't think so!_

"Fine." I sat back in my seat and crossed my arms like a child, "Jackass."

He didn't respond to my comment but continued on down the road at ridiculous speeds.

As I looked out of the window and the minutes passed by in silence, the buildings turned into trees. Edward could be taking me to my death for all I knew but that was a risk I was willing to take.

He slowed slightly as we neared an exit and pulled off. We started going up a hill that was lined with deep forests on each side and had barely any traffic on it. Edward veered off onto a gravel road that led deeper into the forests and then suddenly turned off the car halfway down the lane. There were tall trees that blocked the sun so it was mostly shaded. It actually looked a lot like Forks without the rain.

I lifted open the door and got out, shutting it very hard when I did. I didn't really know where we were but I was going to walk back so I started off down the road.

"Bella." I heard Edward's car door open and the sound of gravel under his shoes got louder as he neared.

"What?" I spun around and he was inches from my face.

"I need to speak with you and you're walking away from me."

"Obviously."

"Well, can you let me explain?"

"For what, being a jackass or doing a complete flip on me back at the church?" I crossed my arms again.

"Okay, look, I have some things to say to you and you're going to stand there and listen, understood?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

He got right in my face this time, "I asked you if you understood."

"I heard you." I spoke slowly.

"Then why didn't you answer?"

"I don't have to answer to you."

"Yes you do because you're about to go to the lion's den." He backed up and started pacing, grabbing his hair with his hands.

I just stood there and followed him with narrowed eyes.

"Look, I had to get you out of there. You can't meet him yet." Edward's voice sounded actually nervous.

"Meet who?"

"My father." He said simply.

"I'm confused. I thought you wanted me to meet him."

"I'm going to be in so much trouble." Edward rested his hands on his knees, "Every Sunday, there is a certain way of doing things. First church, then we go to my grandfather's grave, and then dinner at the house. Right now, we're skipping the grave and I haven't done that in ten years."

"I'm confused."

"I should have warned you about all of this yesterday but..."

"Take some deep breaths Edward." I almost ran to him and lifted him back up. I thought he was going to have a heart attack and I was scared, "Just tell me what you have to say."

He breathed deeply and then closed his eyes, "Are you Italian?" He asked.

"What?"

"Are. You. Italian?"

"Uh...a little, I think. Not much but I'm mostly French and German. Those are the only two I know about. Does it matter?"

"Hell yes it matters." Edward's eyes opened and they were almost furious, "In my life...there are lists of rules I have to follow, a hierarchy if you will." He began his pacing again.

"Okay..."

"My father, Carlisle can be a very loving man but...he's not a good man, Bella, none of us are."

"I don't..."

"I know you don't believe that but it's true. I can't tell you everything but you're basically about to meet the most dangerous man on the face of this earth." Edward was speaking so strongly that I had to believe him.

"What..."

"Don't interrupt me." He held his hand up, "Carlisle is not a man who you want to be around and I should never have agreed to let you into this life."

"I'm a big girl Edward. I can take care of myself. I hardly doubt that an overprotective father is going to scare me away." I snickered, "Plus, we've only been going out for a day. It isn't like we're getting married."

He stopped moving, "You think this is funny? Bella, you have no idea what you're about to step into and you won't understand it even if I laid it all out for you in a row."

"Just say what you have to."

"I can't!" He shouted, the birds above leaving their nests from the sound.

"Edward, you're really confusing me."

He sighed, "My father doesn't like you."

I was kind of taken aback, "But...he doesn't know me."

"That's not the point. Because you're with me...he won't like you."

"I don't understand."

"I have...obligations to my work and to my family. Usually, women are a good distraction but I've never had a..."

"...girlfriend?" I completed his sentence.

Edward shuddered but nodded, "My mother thinks that I've met my match in you, as she put it but my father, he won't approve of any girl I bring home that has the slightest chance of messing up my future."

"Your future? I feel like I'm asking all of these questions with no answers."

"And it will be that way for a long time, I'm sorry for that."

"Are you trying to warn me about something?" I asked, moving closer to him.

"Yes. I've been trying to since I met you but...I don't know what to do." He pulled at his hair again, his pacing resumed.

"Why don't we just go to dinner and see how this all pans out." I suggested, "It can't be that bad."

"Bella, you are about to have dinner with over fifty screaming Italians." He chuckled, "Plus a man who will grill you until you bleed."

"Can't be any worse than some of my Thanksgivings." I shrugged, trying to lighten the mood.

"We'll be at my parent's estate for the rest of the day. Is that alright with you?" He asked and I nodded, "There's going to be a lot of people there and I'll introduce you to most of them."

"Are they all family?"

"For the most part. I have some work to take care of during the evening hours so I won't be able to be with you the whole time."

"Okay." I answered because I didn't know what the hell else to say.

"Oh, and next week, I will be going to Russia."

"Russia?"

"Yes, I leave on Tuesday but I should be back by next Sunday. Just a few days."

Edward had turned from caring and sweet this morning, to a cryptic hard ass in a minute. The way he spoke, the way he walked, even the way he stood was making me think that he was about to handle a business deal.

"Sundays are usually for family but as you'll soon learn, real life interferes more often than not." Edward's green eyes hardened and I was actually frightened of him.

"I'm still not completely understanding you but I want to meet your parents." I put my hand on his arm and he jerked quickly but calmed down and let me put it back in the same spot.

"Okay." He bowed his head.

It took me ten more minutes to convince Edward that this was a good idea and we got back in the car.

For the life of me, I couldn't understand why Edward was having such a hard time with this Shouldn't I be the one who's nervous? I had to impress his parents but the whole time we were driving, his hands were cemented to the steering wheel in an almost vice like grip.

"Why don't you tell me about your family?" I said softly so that I didn't scare him. I didn't want him to feel any anxiety over this or that would just make me more freaked out.

He sighed, "I have a huge family. Only about half are here in Chicago, I have a couple aunts in California and some other relatives in the States but mostly everyone's still back in Italy."

"You know, I always thought that Cullen was an Irish name."

"Yeah, well it's not." He said shortly, "It is but...whatever."

I decided that he wasn't in any mood to talk so I stopped speaking. Edward was stressed and this conversation wouldn't end well if he kept being so abrasive so I just sat back and relaxed in my seat.

The drive seemed to take forever but that was only because of the long, winding roads we were on. We were about an hour outside of the city when Edward began to slow down, turning into another road that was covered by trees. The car traveled slowly around each turn and we went up for about five minutes before we halted in front of some very tall, classic, Victorian, black, wrought iron gates.

Edward leaned out of the window and punched a code into a box. The gates opened down the middle, like something out of a movie and a sprawling estate was laid out before me.

My mouth was dropped the whole time Edward pulled the car up a hill that was the driveway to a massive mansion. There were green fields around us on all sides with the house sitting above everything.

"Is...is this all yours?" I asked, stunned into almost silence.

"My parents'." He looked to me and started laughing, "You'll catch flies that way."

The one thing that I did find kind of odd was that there seemed to be guards around. Some had guns and some didn't but it was like I was entering a military base. Strange.

I snapped my mouth shut, "I can't believe this. I never thought..."

"That we were this rich? Yeah, there's even a lake out back in case you were wondering."

Edward drove around the house that appeared to go on forever and pulled up to an open garage.

The floor was cement and slick but it reminded me of an airplane hangar because the garage was that huge. Edward's Saleen passed Mercedes, Hummers, BMWs, Audis, and those were only the ones that I could recognize. I wasn't much of a car person but even I could tell that this was a collection that was probably worth millions.

Edward smoothly parked at the end of a row of motorcycles and turned the car off, just sitting there.

"I hope money doesn't make you uncomfortable." He spoke with a hint of arrogance.

"No." I lied.

"Good, because we have a lot of it." He got out of the car and I opened my door. He helped me out of the low car and I stood up, fully taking in my surroundings. Everything was gleaming in the fluorescents that were overhead.

"Would you like a tour?" Edward asked, taking my hand.

I looked down at the small gesture. It was the first time we had ever held hands. It might have seemed like nothing to someone else but I got the feeling that Edward didn't ever act like this with anyone else. We had kissed, we had fucked, we had seen each other naked, we had even given each other multiple orgasms but we had never held hands.

He ripped his out of mine when he saw me staring, "Sorry, was that wrong?"

"No, no." I took his again, intertwining our fingers, "I was just surprised."

"I told you I don't know what I'm doing." Edward seemed to deflate.

"You're doing fine." I stood on my toes to kiss him softly, "Stop stressing out about everything."

"Okay."

"I would love a tour." I smiled to give him some confidence.

"We'll start with my cars." His familiar, egotistical grin was back.

"Cars?" I asked as he led me towards a corner of the hanger.

"Yes as in plural."

All together, Edward himself had six cars that took up an entire wall length across the garage. I of course knew about the Saleen, which was his new beauty but he also had a white BMW, red Escalade, silver Aston Martin, a black Lamborghini that he swore could break the sound barrier and a car that he wouldn't even let me look at because he said I would taint it. According to him, his red and black Bugatti Veyron had never been driven but he kept it just to look at. That made no sense to me but I didn't want to spoil his fun.

As we finished the tour of the garage, our hands still together, a black Hummer came barreling though with a thunderous engine roar. It nearly killed me until Edward moved us out of the way. Emmett jumped out of the driver's seat with a huge smile and the blonde angel came out of the passenger's side.

"Whooo! Got her up to 150." Emmett patted his car, "That was a fun ride."

"That's my oldest brother." Edward rolled his eyes.

"That's right. The oldest and brightest, Emmett." He held his hand out and I shook it. He must have been a giant and looked ten times bigger than before. Granted I had only seen him for a split second at Plasma but still.

"I remember you." He tilted his head, "Who knew that night would lead to this." He pointed between Edward and me.

"Yeah, funny how things work out." I nodded, "It's nice to meet you again."

The blonde angel walked over with a sour look, tight lined lips, and narrowed eyes but she was still beautiful as hell.

"This is my girlfriend, Rosalie." Emmett put an arm over her shoulder.

She eyed me up and down with a raised eyebrow.

"Like something you see?" Edward snarled at her.

"Not particularly." She replied, never taking her eyes off of me.

Tension filled the air but Angel Face didn't stop her glaring at Edward and me.

"So...Eddie, why weren't you at the cemetery?" Emmett asked, trying to diffuse the situation.

"I had some things to do." Edward answered.

"Dad's pissed like no other and Ma was so freaked out. She thought you didn't want her to meet Bella."

"No, I just had to explain some things first." Edward stuffed his hands in his pockets, "Actually, can I talk to you for a second." He nodded to Emmett. They both went into a far corner of the garage, mumbling about something and leaving me alone with the blonde devil. We stood still in front of each other for about three minutes without saying anything.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." She crossed her arms.

"Bella." I wasn't rude but you could tell that I wasn't really in the mood to talk to her.

"Is that your natural hair color?" She pointed to my head.

"Yes. I've never dyed it."

"You might need your roots touched up." She sneered.

"My roots are fine." I snapped.

I didn't know what this bitch's problem was but she needed an attitude check.

"How long have you and Edward been fucking?"

"That's none of you damned business, Rosalie." Edward came from behind, putting an arm around my waist.

"We'll see." She smirked coolly and her heels clicked on the cement as she went into the house followed by Emmett.

"What did I do wrong?" I asked Edward.

"Nothing, she's just always been a massive bitch. Don't worry about it."

"Is all your family like that?" I was beginning to see his hesitation with bringing me out here.

"No, just her and my Dad and me. We're very...protective of our family."

"You're not like that."

"Not to you." He breathed through his nose, "You've never seen the real me."

I didn't know what that meant but I didn't like the sound of it.

Edward led me inside the house through the garage.

I was met at the door by a very familiar face.

"Hello Ms. Swan." Jerry, from Edward's yacht, gave me a bright smile, "Nice to see you again."

"You too. What are you doing here?"

"I've worked for Mr. and Mrs. Cullen since this one was in diapers." He pointed to Edward.

"My mother doesn't like maids or anything but they're a few people who've been with us for years." Edward chuckled.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Jerry asked me.

"No, I'm fine." I said as I looked around the front room.

To say that this was a mansion would be an understatement.

The whole house was a monstrosity. Everything was dark in color scheme from the hardwood floors so the rugs to the curtains and I felt like I was put into the pages of _Wuthering Heights._

I didn't get a chance to look around too much because before I knew it, Edward was once again dragging me in another direction.

"If we hurry, we can catch my mother without Carlisle around." He said and we followed the delicious aromas that were wafting through the house.

After a two minute maze excursion of hallways, doors and stairs, we arrive at the kitchen where Esme was literally bouncing around pots and pans. My face fell when I saw Rosalie sitting with her back to me at the marble island.

Edward cleared his throat and his mother spun around.

Her face lit up with a bright smile, "You must be Bella." She wiped her hands and then came around the corner to give me a hug, "Benvenuta"

"Thank you. You have a lovely home." I said truthfully, trying not to stare at her amazing kitchen.

"It's nothing." She waved her hand and pulled me to the kitchen stool, right next to Rosalie, "I can't believe we're finally meeting. I've heard so much about you from the boys and Alice."

"All good I hope."

"Of course. Edward can't seem to stop talking about you." She shifted her eyes the fridge where Edward was standing with a beer, "He really is obsessed with you."

"Ma..." Edward groaned.

"Oh, sorry." Esme giggled, "I don't want to embarrass him. You're very beautiful."

I heard Rosalie sulk in annoyance.

"Thank you." I blushed, "You're incredibly beautiful as well. You can't be older than thirty."

"Oh God, I haven't seen thirty in years." She winked, walking back around to her pots.

"It smells really good in here. Can I help you with something?"

"Of course not. I live to do everything myself although Edward's father insists on hiring people." She shook her head and then grinned at me, "You know how to cook?"

"Not anything professional but I kept my father alive for eight years."

"Good." She had a look of absolute joy on her face, "You and I need to talk in private about that one over there." She pointed to Edward.

"He's been in line so far." I said and Edward smirked behind his beer bottle as he took a long sip.

"He's not always that way."

"Are you sure I can't help you with anything. You look like you have a lot going on in here."

"Nonsense, I just have to finish up the lasagna, pound out and pan fry the veal, make the basil salad, mozzarella salad, salt the tomatoes for the marinara sauce, make sure the lamb doesn't burn and make the apple crumble. It's nothing."

I didn't understand half of what she said, "That sounds like a lot."

"For a lot of people." She pulled something out of the oven, "Everyone should be here in about two hours or so and then we spend all day eating."

"And you do this every Sunday?" I couldn't believe it.

"And Saturday, rain or shine."

"Wow."

Esme was about to say something else but she stopped when soft footsteps came through the arch of the kitchen.

"Oh good, you're here." She clapped her hands, "Bella, I would like you meet Edward's father, Carlisle." She took my hand and led me to the blonde man standing there with a stone cold face. He looked almost exactly like Edward but with a hint more calmness. He didn't seem as neurotic.

Edward came to stand next to me and was practically rigid.

"It's very nice to meet you." He said passively. The way he spoke was so polite and old world but still terrifying at the same time.

"You too. Edward's told me so much about you." I lied.

His eyes went from me to Edward and Carlisle actually smiled, "Not too much I hope. Some things are too dangerous for such a beautiful girl's ears."

_Damn my blush. _

I did it again and laughed under my breath. He was nothing like Edward had described him but in a way, he kind of was. He was standoffish but not like Rosalie who was just purely abrasive. With Carlisle, I just got the feeling that he had to warm up to you.

"Edward, don't forget that we have things to do tonight." Carlisle spoke to him.

"Carlisle, not tonight." Esme huffed, "I have people coming over."

"We can handle things here. We won't leave, I promise." He kissed her forehead tenderly before turning back to me, "Bella, it was nice to meet you. If you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to." He nodded to us and then was gone.

Esme gave me a tight smile, "He's really not that bad. He's just stressed today."

"He wasn't bad at all." I was talking to both of them but mainly Edward who had relaxed some.

"Glad you liked him." Edward said through his teeth.

Over the next hour, things began to pick up very quickly.

Alice and Jasper came back with some things that Esme asked for and as people began to trickle into the house, I was getting more nervous.

I was walking around the living room alone, looking at pictures when Jasper found me.

"There you are, Alice was wondering where you went off to." He laughed.

"I was just looking at all the amazing stuff your mother has in here. This house is like a big city."

"Yeah, I got lost in the basement when I was four. It took them the whole day to find me."

"That must have been scary."

"You have no idea." He shook his head quickly, "Anyway, I was coming to introduce myself again and not as the complete jackass who's trying to pick you up." Jasper held out his hand.

I shook it, "Sometimes I forget that I met you first."

"It seems like so long ago, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." I sighed and continued to walk around, "So…you and Alice, huh?"

He got a massive grin on his face, "She's so amazing and full of life. I don't think I've ever met anyone like her."

"She just makes you want to be happy." I knew what he was talking about.

"She's incredible. Alice came to church and stuff last week. I was surprised I didn't see you."

"No, Edward and I weren't…that close back then."

"Boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Don't let him hear you say that." I said.

"Please, I know my brother better than he knows himself. He's never looked at another woman like he looks at you." Jasper took a sip of his drink.

"Does your father like Alice?" I asked, really wanting to know.

Jasper laughed, "You've met him already?"

I nodded.

"He's not that bad once he knows who you are. Are you Italian?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? Is it a rule?"

"In our family, yes." He nodded.

I let out a frustrated breath, "Is Alice?"

"Her mother has half so that means she is at least a quarter." Jasper shrugged.

"Damn, I guess I'm the only one who has to impress Carlisle the old fashioned way."

Once everyone started arriving, Edward pulled me into introductions. Everyone was very nice and I didn't feel awkward at all.

No one really knew who I was and Edward would never use the word 'girlfriend' to introduce me, which I didn't even notice until one of his aunts pointed it out. She was confused as to whom I was in relation the family and I didn't have an answer. Then she lit up and began shouting that I was 'Eddie's girl'.

I got cheek pinches from old ladies and things never seemed to calm down. I soon learned that Italians didn't speak with their mouths but with their hands. Everything was so fast and jumbled but people were keeping up. I knew absolutely no Italian so I was useless but it was funny to see Esme scream at someone who was in her pots. She would get livid and set off a string of what Edward said were curse words. Her cheeriness never failed and her words to me were always sweet.

I tried to hang out with Alice as much as possible since she was the only one I knew but the only problem was that she was always around Rosalie who didn't make it a secret that she didn't like me. She was always scowling and huffing whenever I said something and on more than one occasion, I was about to snap her neck but I didn't want to spill any blood on Esme's carpets.

All in all, there were about fifty people in the house. They were everywhere and there was lots of noise but somehow, nothing seemed crowded and I got the sense that this was a very tight knit family. I liked it.

I watched Edward a lot as he mingled with his cousins or talked quietly to his brothers. Something was strange about him when he was around other people. He was colder and more direct, unlike with me when he was somewhat caring. I knew he would never be a completely loving man per say but around anyone except his brothers, mother and father, he seemed like he was trying to be in charge.

We all sat down to dinner at four and after a very lengthy prayer by Carlisle, food was passed around a massively long table that stretched from one end of the dining room to the other. I sat next to Edward and Alice so I had people to talk to but I could barely get a word in edgewise with everyone trying to say things to each other. Still, I didn't mind at all. There was so much food that I almost passed out but Edward kept piling it on my plate. He said I needed to eat more.

Like I thought, Carlisle warmed up to me, not fully but just a little while we ate. He asked me about school and what I was studying, things like that but he never gave me anything more than a head nod. He would smile at me but it wasn't real, it was just to be polite.

I nudged Alice as desert was being served.

"Hey, did I do something wrong?" I asked her.

"What do you mean?"

"With Carlisle, has he ever been...harsh with you." I said quietly.

She scrunched her forehead, "No, he's really nice."

"Really? He seems like he doesn't like me very much."

"You must be imagining things. He's just getting to know you."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. He'll come around eventually." She patted my back and I nodded, convincing myself that that was true.

After desert, everyone went back to their before dinner activities. I was given a nice glass of red wine that I pretended to drink and sat on the huge, porch in the back with Esme, Rose and Alice. Kids were running around the backyard, men were smoking cigars, old ladies were telling stories and it all seemed like something out of a movie.

"So, Bella, how do you like Chicago?" Esme asked me as the sun was starting to set.

"It's wonderful. I kind of grew up in the country so coming to a big city was a real shock for me."

"And you said you're from Washington?" Rose asked, nearly spitting it at me.

"Yes." I replied with a tone.

"I bet it's really pretty up there in the fall." Esme sighed.

"Not really. It just rains a lot but the beaches are nice if you like rocks." I laughed.

"Same here in Chicago. All the beaches up by the lakes are rocky but they're better than nothing." She shrugged.

Edward came up behind me like a ghost to whisper in my ear, "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" I turned around to look at him.

"Just handling some business." He replied, a hint of a smile on his lips, pulling on a pair of black leather gloves, "It won't take long, I promise."

"Okay."

He looked like he wanted to kiss me but then decided against it, muttering to himself as he walked into the backyard. I saw where he was going. Jasper, Emmett and Carlisle were standing at the end of the forest, waiting for him. They disappeared without one look back.

"Where are they going?" Alice asked, trying to see further.

"They like to go hunting." Rose replied.

"Now, at this hour? Isn't it kind of late?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"It's never too late for hunting." Rose and Esme exchanged a quick glance with each other that was very suspicious but I didn't say anything.

We continued to talk for several minutes, discussing things that didn't really matter but it was still fun. I watched people, trying to figure out how they all got to be such a big family. Esme had tried to tell me some of the family history but I got lost in the 1940's or so. I couldn't keep up with who married who and gave birth to who. It was very confusing.

Our conversation had turned to comparing lasagna recipes when a gun shot rang out from the forest. Birds cawed and flew into the sky above the trees, making the whole backyard fall silent. People stopped moving and looked in the direction of the sound.

"What was that?" I asked, slightly frightened.

Before anyone could answer, two more shots were fired, echoing off of the house and making ripples of sound throughout the air. No one moved and no one said a word.

Once again, I saw Rose and Esme exchange a glance. Esme crossed herself before sighing heavily.

"It's nothing to worry about, dear." She put a hand on my knee, "As Rose said, the boys like to hunt."

"Are you sure they're okay?" I was trying to peek to see if I could make anything out but I couldn't.

"They'll be fine." Rose took a lazy sip of her wine.

Everything went back to normal in the flip of a dime and it was really weird that no one had called the police or bothered to check on anything. The kids resumed their playing, the men went back to smoking and the stories kept coming. It was like I was in the twilight zone and I was the only one who heard those shots but if they were hunting then I guess it was okay.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see a very small woman with white hair pulled into a bun. She was in a standard maid's uniform with stockings and an apron.

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Swan?" She asked with a slight accent.

"Yes."

"Mr. Carlisle has requested to see you in his office. If you'll follow me." She turned around, not even waiting for him.

Alice gave me a shrug and I jumped up, following the maid towards the house.

Once inside, my heels thudded on the carpet as we went through the family rooms and hallways. I passed expensive paintings on the walls and more decorative furniture before coming to a pair of dark, oak staircases that spiraled up to what looked like the second and third floors, or whatever was up top.

She climbed the stairs gingerly while I followed.

I was panting by the time I reached the third floor but we still had one more to go so I went up behind a woman in her late sixties who was obviously in better shape than I was. It was sad.

"He'll be with you in one moment." She led me to another pair of doors and pushed them open, letting me go in.

"Thank you." I said as she shut me inside of Carlisle's office.

Everywhere I looked, there were bookshelves, from floor to ceiling. They were filled with old copies of classics and some were even in different languages. There was a large desk in front of a plush leather wing back chair and an immense window showed the backyard beneath. The floor was covered in a Oriental rug and a family portrait sat behind the chair.

I looked at the picture and couldn't help but smile as I saw Edward with his family. Everyone looked so young.

"Edward was ten when that picture was painted." A voice said from behind me.

I spun around and found Carlisle standing there.

I gasped when I saw that his hands were covered in blood that was dripping onto the floor. He was wiping them with a towel but the rusty smell was still repulsive.

"Are...are you alight?" I asked, trying not to look at or smell the blood.

"I'm fine." He grinned at me mechanically, "Let me just wash up and then we can get to talking." Carlisle went into a door at the side of the room and I heard the faucets running.

I breathed through my nose, trying to get the smell of blood out.

"So, how do you like your first visit to Cullen Manor?" He asked, coming out of the bathroom with a new towel and clean hands although they were still stained a soft red color.

"Fine." I spoke firmly, "Thank you for inviting me."

"I didn't, Edward did." Carlisle said and sat behind his desk, signaling me to take a seat as well.

He looked me up and down, not evilly but it still made me uncomfortable.

"How was hunting?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"Oh Bella, it's too late for hunting." He smiled in a way that was almost evil, "Someone could get hurt if you start shooting in the dark."

I sat there, trying not to look him in the eyes and stopped tapping my foot so that there was no sound in the room.

"Bella, why don't you tell me about yourself?" Carlisle crossed his hands on his desk.

"Uh...what do you mean?" I played with the hem of my skirt.

"I don't know anything about you and I want to make sure Edward is with someone I can trust. We can make this easier."

The doors opened behind me and I heard that soft thudding of heels as they came around. Rosalie appeared and went to stand behind Carlisle on his left side with a pad and pen. She had a look of pure hatred on her face with a gloating smile.

_Bitch!_

"Am I in trouble?" I asked, looking between them both.

"Not at all." He said, "I just want to know who you are. Name."

"Isabella Swan." I answered. I could tell that this wasn't going to be a friendly meeting.

"Birthplace."

"Forks, Washington."

"Father's name."

"Charlie Swan."

"If I may be frank with you, Isabella..." Carlisle began.

"Just, Bella." I corrected.

"Okay, Bella. My son is...different from other men out there."

"I know."

"Do you?" He stood up and walked to the fireplace, "I'm not trying to make you feel bad. I just don't trust easily."

"I understand."

"Do you smoke?"

"No."

He decapitated the head of a cigar easily and then took a second to light it before puffing out a small cloud of smoke, "Edward is on a track to greatness and I'm not trying to run his life or anything like that but I just want to make sure that he isn't distracted." Carlisle's tone wasn't anything mean but I still got a cold feeling that didn't make me feel very welcome.

"So I'm a distraction?" I asked, maybe a little too boldly but I wasn't going to let Papa Cullen scare me.

"Precisely." He said lowly, "I just want to make sure that my son is well taken care of."

I didn't really know what to say about this conversation. Did Edward's father not like me so much that he was requesting me to leave? Was I that bad a person? I thought I made a good impression but I was obviously mistaken.

I still didn't understand why Rosalie was here. She could just crawl under a rock as far as I was concerned.

Carlisle came back around his desk, still smoking his cigar, "Edward is a very powerful man and I know he hasn't told you exactly what goes on here but I can't have just anyone with my son, you understand."

"Of course." I nodded.

"Are you Italian?" He asked just like Edward said he would.

"Uh...a little, on my mother's side but I'm mainly French and German."

He sighed through his nose and swallowed hard, "Make sure to find out how much old world blood she has in her when you do the background check." He spoke to Rosalie.

"Wait, a background check?"

"Of course. Like I said, I have to make sure that you're appropriate for my son."

"And what if you find something that you don't approve of?" I was pretty mad now.

"Well then..." He let his sentence trail off.

The door opened behind me.

"Ms. Cope will see you out." Carlisle said.

"This way Ms." I heard a soft voice and I stood up, preparing to leave.

"It was very nice to meet you Bella." Carlisle nodded to me.

I was too shocked to say anything back and Ms. Cope had to pull me out of the room.

_What the hell was all of that? _

I didn't have a chance to talk to anyone about the crazy meeting I just had because Edward was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me with a painful looking face.

"What did he say?" He asked apprehensively.

"I don't really know what just happened." I spoke in a clouded way, almost like I was in a haze.

"That son of a bitch!" Edward started stomping up the stairs, snapping me back.

"Edward, don't." I grabbed his arm, "I don't want you to fight with your father."

"He had no right to scare you." His eyes were dangerous.

"He didn't."

"Don't lie to me, Bella. You're white as a sheet and you can barely breathe. What did he say?"

"Nothing." I shook my head.

"Stop lying to me Bella." Edward said, almost angrily.

"I'm fine."

Edward seemed to calm down as he looked at me. He wrapped an arm around my body and pulled me to him, kissing my forehead like Carlisle did to Esme hours earlier, "I'm sorry."

That was all he said before he led me out to the garage and into the Saleen to take me home.

I didn't say a word as we drove along the dark, forest highways because I was still confused as to what I did to make someone hate me so much. Alice said that Carlisle liked her so what was wrong with me?

_A background check? _

Good Lord, this was serious.

And then I thought about what would be in the background check. My date of birth, which I hadn't been asked but everyone would soon find out. That provided me with a problem.

I looked at Edward who was more relaxed than he had been all day but still had a hard edge to him.

"Edward, I have to tell you something." I said, getting up the courage.

"You don't have to. I know my father can be a dick. He just has to get used to you."

"Well, yeah, that was an interesting dinner but that's not what I wanted to say."

"I mean, what the hell is his problem? You've never done anything to him and he just jumped down your throat like that?" Edward continued to vent.

"Edward..."

"He is such a hypocritical bastard. He was never so coarse with Alice or Rosalie for that matter and she's a complete bitch but he loves her to death. I can't stand it. What the hell did you ever do to him?"

"Edward, shut up." I commanded and he turned his head to me, slightly annoyed, "I need to tell you something and you won't shut up."

He continued to drive without saying anything.

I took a deep inhale for strength, "I'm not twenty-one."

His eyes squinted like he was thinking, "You're not?"

"No, and I'm not a junior."

He didn't say anything but kept driving.

"I'm an eighteen year old, freshman."

It took a second to sink in but once it did, Edward slammed on the brakes so hard, the back of the car fishtailed into the other lane but came to a screeching halt a second later. There were no other cars on the road so we weren't blocking anyone.

"What did you just say?" He turned to me, fear and fire in his eyes.

"I'm eighteen." My voice was much quieter now that I lost my confidence.

"Eighteen." He said to himself, "Like as in...eighteen?"

"Yes and a freshman." I reminded him.

"Holy shit." He began chanting it like a prayer and his hands bolted into his hair, pulling at the roots, "Give me your license." He demanded and I did. Edward studied it with almost shaking hands and then covered his mouth, "Shit."

"It's not that bad if you think about it, just seven years." I counted them off, trying to make this not seem so horrible.

"Not that bad?" He shouted, "I fucked a child."

"I'm not a child..."

"You might as well be. Eighteen. Holy shit."

"I should have told you before but you assumed that I was older and I didn't think it was that important to correct you since I never planned on seeing you again after all we went through." I was rambling.

"How the hell did you get into Plasma?" He was mad as the devil.

"Alice is twenty-one so I just followed her in." I said like a scolded child.

"I can't believe this." He hit his head on the wheel, "I've been giving you drinks, we fucked, I came to your dorm. I'm so fucked."

"I'm legal." I was trying to put a positive spin on this.

"Just barely." He started up the car, "I'm taking you home."

The relaxed Edward had disappeared and was replaced by a cold statue who just drove.

* * *

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	18. Chapter 17

Chaos and Order in Russia

EDWARD POV

"_There is no longer a way out of our present situation except by forging a road toward our objective, violently and by force, over a sea of blood and under a horizon blazing with fire."-__Gamal Abdel Nasser._

All things Twiligh related blong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I folded my last collared shirt and put it in my suitcase before going over my clothes one more time. Everything was exactly as I wanted it, with neat rows of shirts, pants, underwear, socks, belts, shoes and toiletries.

I hated packing while at the same time, found joy in it. It was one of the small things that kept me sane in this crazy world.

I sat next to my gigantic, open suitcase on my bed and let out a deep breath.

It had been five days since that disastrous dinner at my parents' house. My brothers, Carlisle and I were supposed to go to Russia on Tuesday but our trip was delayed because my father had some other matters to attend to so it was pushed back a couple of days.

Since I actually had free time, I was able to see Bella more than I thought I would and that put me in a better mood.

As of now, Carlisle and I weren't speaking.

After I dropped Bella off at her dorm on Sunday, I did a little driving before I went back to my parents' house and pretty much had a two hour screaming match at my father for treating Bella so horribly. We had disagreed before on things but it was never as bad as it had gotten when I stormed into his office. I was livid that he made her feel like shit and I knew that he was going to act that way but it still pissed me off.

For the first hour, he just sat there and listened to my rants but then stood and gave me the 'I'm looking out for your future' speech. Bella was the first girl I had ever brought home and I should have waited longer than one day to let her meet my parents. Esme was fine and more infatuated with Bella than I was but Carlisle seemed to think that this was another one of my sexual flings that was going to go by the wayside.

Maybe I was just jaded but I couldn't really see his argument very clearly. Carlisle was being a jackass and I had never outright defied him before so even I was kind of shocked when I told him that I wasn't following his orders to stop seeing Bella. I walked out while he was talking and that was the last time I had said one word to him.

Could that day have gotten any worse?

Not only was I mad at my father but I had to watch Bella the whole time like a hawk. I needed to know that she was alright around my family.

I knew on Saturday, that Bella would probably be coming with me to church but I didn't want to warn her or she might flake out. What I wasn't planning on was being such a wimp about her meeting Carlisle. Like I told her, he was dangerous and could be quite scary if he wanted to be.

Emmett was texting me throughout the entire service, telling me to man up and just take the plunge. Easy for him to say when his girlfriend was a half Italian, Catholic, piano prodigy who actually worked for my father. Emmett and Rosalie were set. Jasper and Alice were set.

Bella and I…not so much.

Dinner was going well up to a point and my father behaved although I could tell that he didn't like Bella. Whether his reasoning was just or not was still to be determined but that was beside the point.

Of course, I had to deal with some things after dinner and Carlisle usually made it a point to not deal with crime things on Sunday but we couldn't help it. We had an execution to complete and just finished the fucker off in the woods behind the house. No one would mind.

My father and I saw each other throughout the week and Esme tried to force us back on good terms but I didn't care. I wasn't going to do what he wanted just because he didn't like Bella. That wasn't my problem. Everyone else loved her, minus Rosalie but she was a major bitch anyway so I didn't really expect her to.

My father on the other hand, I thought would at least have some composure but instead, he interrogated Bella like she was on death row.

He wouldn't tell me what he asked her about but I got the general idea from Bella when I took her out to dinner the next night. She told me that she was terrified of him but held her ground pretty well, which I knew she would but it still made me mad.

I had never been so angry at my father before and I was about to rip my hair out from just looking at him but I thankfully had Bella to keep me calm. Since she was in school, it wasn't like we could spend all day together but I had her all to myself during the nights. I would literally scratch my skin until five in the afternoon when I could speed to her dorm to pick her up for dinner.

We went to Carmel with Alice and Jasper a couple of times, I took her to some of my favorite places around the city and one night, she just wanted to sit in her dorm and eat pizza so that's what we did. I was still hesitant to even step foot in that shit hole but I kept my mouth shut.

I still didn't know how to be a boyfriend and all of this was very new to me but Bella was patient. What surprised me the most about Bella was that she didn't put up with any of my bullshit. I knew I had a short temper and on several occasions I blew up, not necessarily at her but I couldn't help myself when waiters spilled shit in my lap or when men eyed Bella up with lustful glances.

It was a wonder that I hadn't killed anybody this week.

I quickly found out that Bella was the best part of my day. She made me actually laugh and I was able to let my guard down with her although I had to put it right back up when people came around. I was still trying to learn how to walk the line between a complete psychotic killer and a man who was totally obsessed with a woman. They were two separate characters but Bella knew how to handle them both.

Now, five days later, I was just getting used to the fact that she was eighteen. Bella was eighteen.

I had to say it to myself fifty times a minute until I got it through my head. How the hell did I end up in this situation? She seemed so much older. How could she be eighteen? There were seven years between us and that was highly unacceptable in some of the circles I ran in. If I was forty and she thirty-three, then fine. If I was twenty seven and she was twenty-once, like Alice and Jasper, then fine. That would have been okay but Bella was barely legal.

I had to convince myself that nothing was out of the ordinary because I was already getting a wall of shit from my father, I didn't need anything else to rip me from Bella. She kept asking me if I was mad at her for deceiving me with her age but the truth was, it didn't matter to me. Yes, it looked bad that I was basically fucking a child but what was I going to do about it?

After that initial shock, I dropped her off at her dorm and just drove for hours.

I came to a realization that I was trying to find ways of ending my relationship with Bella. I wasn't mature enough to handle this and I was trying to sabotage it. That's when I realized that no matter how hard I wanted to pull away from her, Bella had a gravitational pull that I would never understand.

I had to let myself go completely for the first time in my life and just ride the wave that she took me on. I was also more determined to keep what Bella and I had intact. I could be my own worst enemy in all of this and I wasn't going to let outside influences tear us apart whether that be my father, the age difference, or whatever else. I was stronger than that.

That being said, Bella and I didn't really bring up the age thing because it was just a little too awkward right now.

I still hadn't gotten tested yet like Bella want me to because I couldn't find the time but that still didn't mean I had to keep Bella from experiencing the pleasure of my tongue or fingers.

That one night when she wanted to eat pizza in her dorm, I wormed my way into pussy. From the noises she was making and the way she was gripping my hair, I knew I had given her the most intense orgasm of her life. It was my fingers at the beginning of the night and my tongue right before I left. I couldn't wait to dive into her fully again but that had to wait until I got back from Russia.

This was going to be a rough couple of days without seeing Bella and I felt completely pussy whipped. I planned on leaving her dorm last night so that I could come home and pack but she basically begged me to stay since we weren't going to see each other for several days. I suddenly realized that Bella was dangerous.

She gave me "that look" and I couldn't deny her anything. I crumbled and stayed the night, not even realizing that I had other things to do. She probably had the ability to control people's minds. That's how she got her hooks into me but I didn't mind it.

Even though I was mad at my father for being a fucker, I watched the way he was around Esme and figured out that I didn't have to shut myself off from Bella just because I was a treacherous monster. Carlisle loved Esme more than anything in this world and he might be a bastard to everyone outside of the family but he knew how to separate the two worlds. I needed to learn how to do that.

I still hadn't told Bella one thing about this life that I lived and I didn't plan to for a very long time. That's why I wasn't mad at her for keeping her true age from me. That wasn't anything compared to the crap I had under my hat. My original plan was to scare her away. That didn't work too well because Bella was tough shit and my attitudes or blow ups wouldn't make her falter so I gave up.

At this point, I didn't really want her to leave. I hoped that if we were deep into whatever we developed, she would be able to look past my faults. Esme had, Rosalie had, would Bella? I prayed that she would. The truth was, Bella and I were already deep. Five days into our fucked up relationship and I felt like we had been dating for years. I had fucked her once, given her three orgasms, spent nights over her dorm and I was completely lost to the world.

I didn't notice until Emmett pointed it out but I hadn't gotten high since meeting Bella and that was unheard of. I had basically been in a constant state of inebriation since I was fifteen. I had even tried to cut out drinking since I learned that Bella was eighteen. I was slightly mad at her for drinking alcohol while around me this whole time because I was already living in so much sin and had a rap sheet that would put the devil to shame, I didn't need the police on my ass for serving alcohol to a minor.

Bella would always pout when I took the wine from her or ordered her a soda instead of a Blue Mountain but she was going to have to get over that. I didn't want to tempt her when she was around me so I tried ordering boring stuff. I actually spit out some horrible shit at dinner a couple nights ago and Bella laughed at me. She gave me permission to dink around her so I took that to its full advantage. I didn't get drunk of course but I enjoyed some strong stuff a couple of times.

In any case, I was going to miss Bella even if it was for a couple of days. I wasn't afraid to admit it.

I woke up this morning, not wanting to leave her room but I had to go. I promised that I would be back in a few days and she gave me an end all kiss that I almost used to convince myself to stay but I had to go, as much as I didn't want to. We said our goodbyes and I was going to call her every night.

_Maybe this boyfriend stuff wouldn't be so hard after all. _

I hated that she was able to control me like this but on some level, it was alright with me. I was normal for the first time ever. Of course, I still had to smash heads on the side but Bella was quickly becoming a big part of my life.

I sighed heavily and looked around my room for something to clean while I waited.

I snapped my fingers and remembered that Emmett had spilled a beer the other night on the kitchen floor and I had done a quick clean but not a though one. I jumped off of my bed and went to the bathroom sink where I kept the sanitizer bucket.

I filled it with scalding water, detergent and Clorox before taking it into the kitchen with a washcloth. It might seem overly dramatic to clean a stain with sanitizer like it was mold but if I didn't, I would feel dirty. At least I didn't rip the flooring up like I was tempted to do.

I took off my black, Armani leather jacket and laid it gently on the counter before rolling up the sleeves of my white shirt. I got some yellow gloves out from the cabinet and snapped them onto my hands. I made sure to keep my crisp pants away from the spot near the fridge as I began to polish.

It took me ten minutes of good, hard cleaning to get the stain up although it was gone after the first couple of wipes. I just had to make sure so I kept scrubbing. Since I was already on the floor, I decided to just clean the whole thing and it took me another half an hour until my floors sparkled.

I didn't mind cleaning for myself but anyone else could do their own shit. I wasn't a maid although the OCD in me made it hard to watch things get soiled.

I stood up and appraised my hard work before dumping the now dirty liquid into the sink and letting it dry upside down. I put everything back where it was supposed to go and then sat on my bed again, at a loss of what to do now.

As if it knew my boredom was creeping up, the house phone rang and I rolled over the sheets to reach it, "Hello?"

"_Mr. Cullen, your ride is here." _

"Thank you. I'll be down in a minute." I hung up the phone and jumped off of the bed, checking my room to make sure I had everything I needed.

I zipped up my suitcase and put on a coat, my sunglasses and watch. I made sure I had my messenger bag with my laptop in it and then turned off all the lights.

I locked up, dragging my carrier behind me as I went into the elevator downstairs. The doors dinged and I stepped out into the lobby of the building.

My suitcase rolled as I walked outside and met Shaun. He was a tall, heavily built man of about fifty who had been a private driver for me since I was young. He took me to school for years and was basically a part of my family. Today he wore a nice suit complete with sunglasses and a driver's hat.

"Hello, Mr. Cullen. Can I help you with that?" He took my bag from me and put it in the trunk, "I hear you and the boys are heading off to Moscow?"

"Yes." I nodded, "Family matters."

"Of course, I understand." He answered, knowing all about out underground dealings. He had learned over all these years to never get too involved in things.

I got in the back of the black town car and five seconds later, Shaun was speeding off down the crowded streets on our way to Palwaukee Airport, which was the place where private planes left the Chicago area.

On the way, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw Bella's name flashing on the screen.

_Good luck.-B_

I quickly typed back a reply.

_Good luck on what?-E_

_Your business trip. I expect you to sell lots of houses!-B_

_Oh, right. I'll bring you home a souvenir.-E _

_I want one of those dolls, that fit inside of another doll, and then another doll, and then another doll…-B_

_Gotcha.-E_

_I'll miss you.-B_

I didn't know how to respond to that and I looked at my phone for at least ten minutes, wondering what to do. Would I miss Bella? Of course I would and I could admit that to myself but would she think I was weak?

I took a chance.

_I'll miss you too.-E_

I waited for a reply but nothing came.

I had to stop over thinking this or I was going to go crazy. It was only a few days but I felt like I was going off to war or something.

It took about forty-five minutes to arrive at Palwaukee and Shaun had to flash a special badge to pass by security. He drove onto the runway in the back where a private hanger held small jets that were owned by the rich. Of course, my father had two. I hadn't flown commercial in probably fifteen years.

_Yeah, I was spoiled. _

I got out of the car and went around back to get my bags.

"Hope you have a pleasant trip, sir." Shaun said.

"Thank you." I shook his hand and then went to go join Carlisle, Esme and Emmett who were already waiting near the entrance to the hanger.

"Eddie, finally. What took you so long?" Emmett thundered.

"I had things to do this morning." I hugged my mother and completely ignored my father, "What are you doing here, Ma?"

"I want to come with you all. I haven't been to Moscow in years." She said excitedly.

"I told you that this wasn't going to be a very pleasant trip, sweetheart." Carlisle had an arm around her waist.

"I know but I can stay in the townhouse. I don't care."

"Where's Jazz?" I asked, looking around.

"Right here!" I heard him yell and turned around. He was carrying two massive suitcases, more like dragging them and it looked like he was pulling boulders.

"What the hell is all of this?" Emmett raised his eyebrow.

"Alice packed for me." Jasper was panting by the time he reached the group, "She said I needed help in picking out my outfits."

"Okay..." I said more like a question.

"Don't say anything." He pointed at me, "I'm whipped but I don't care."

I guess he was taking this new way of life better than me. The only problem was that Jasper had been with women before and more than just one night. He had some girlfriends that actually lasted years although he was always distant with them because of our line of work. At least he had experience.

We talked amongst ourselves, me still ignoring Carlisle, until the jet pulled through the hanger and stopped in front of us.

The plane was a large sized, Gulfstream G550/GV. It sat fifteen, had the ability to travel up to five hundred and sixty miles an hour and was built for supreme luxury.

A crew dressed in neatly pressed suits took our bags and the white steps to the plane descended so that we could all get on.

The best thing about flying private was that we could do anything we wanted. No lines, no waiting, no screaming children but most importantly, no security. I literally walked on board with a Browning stuffed down my pants.

The whole plane was very stylish, embellished in warm wood and earth tones. Plush chairs and couches lined the walls, cream carpets were on the floor, there were two bathrooms, two sleeping cabins, TVs, outlets for electronics, a full service galley and circular windows that provided lots of light.

"I hate Russia." Emmett grumbled as he buckled himself into his seat. We were in the four that were facing each other with me sitting next to Jasper, across from Emmett. I didn't want to be in my father's eye line. Esme spread out on the couch, reading her magazine.

"We can go to the Smirnoff factory again." Jasper got a look of pure joy on his face.

"I already have my list." I said, "I ran out of vodka months ago."

The plane took off after we were all served a lunch of steak and vegetables. The plane was in the air smoothly like we were basically floating and by the time the seat belt sign dinged off, I was itching to get back to Bella. This wasn't healthy.

Emmett and Jasper went to walk around, watch TV, do whatever and Esme came to occupy the seat next to Carlisle. I read through a gun magazine and after an hour, the tension seemed to melt away like it was nothing. I could keep playing this game for years.

"You're not going to say anything to me?" My father asked when we were over Philadelphia. We had to make a stop to re-fuel in New York but after that, it was a straight shot to Moscow.

"No, I have nothing to say to you." I flipped a page in the magazine.

"Edward, stop being so childish." My mother said, "And Carlisle, stop being so boorish."

"I have a right to protect my family."

"Oh right, because Bella is such a big threat." I replied sarcastically.

"Edward, you don't know who she is. After I did the background check..."

"See, stop right there." I looked at him, "You had no right to look into her business. She isn't one of your clients that you can just dig into. She has nothing to hide and she doesn't deserve to be treated like shit from you."

"Language, Edward." My mother whispered.

"Do you know how old she is?" He sat calmly with his head tilted slightly.

"Yes, I know how old she is and I've gotten over that. I don't need you to jump into my life just because you don't like her."

"How old is she? Twenty-one, right?" Emmett asked from down the plane.

"No son. Your brother is having sex with an eighteen year old girl." Carlisle replied with a hint of anger in his voice.

"First, get out of my business and second, we're not having sex, not for lack of trying on my part but Bella lives by some kind of moral code."

"Oh Edward..." My mother sighed, "Eighteen?"

"Yes, eighteen but what can I do about it?" I was getting angry now, "You need to stay out of my life." I pointed at my father.

"Your life is my life. Family over women, Edward."

"She is the only good thing around me these days. Between you breathing down my neck and everything else I put up with, I need normalcy and she's it." I snapped and went back to my magazine.

No one said a word as we flew into New York and when we touched down for an hour long break, I went outside to smoke.

Who the hell did my father think he was?

I was a twenty-five year old man. I could do whatever the fuck I wanted and I didn't need his permission. Of course that wasn't true but still.

In our world, my father was the be all and end all. He was known as the Capo di Tutti Capi or Boss of all Bosses. He basically ruled all crime activity dealing with Italians throughout the world. Out of the six major Italian mafia families, we were the highest on the chain and Carlisle was God, if you will. He might rule everyone else but he didn't rule me.

I dropped my cigarette on the tarmac of the runway and pulled another one out of my pocket, lighting it easily. I drew in a breath and let out a calming puff.

"Let me get one." Jasper said from next to me suddenly. I handed him the pack and he lit his quickly, "So, you and Dad still not talking?"

"Oh, we're talking but as you can see, we're not on good terms."

"Obviously." He took a draw of the cigarette, "Do you know why he's so messed up over this?"

"No and I don't care. He should be happy that I'm happy or just shut the fuck up and let me live my life."

"He can't do that Edward."

"Why? He likes Rosalie, he basically fawned over Alice for a week, why can't he accept Bella? He made her feel like shit."

"It's just different for Emmett and I and you know it."

"What are you talking about?" I pulled more smoke into my mouth and let it slowly.

"Come on, dude. You're the heir, the principe..." He said in Italian, "...he expects you take over."

"So, why can't I do that and still be happy?"

"He doesn't want you distracted. He's just trying to protect you."

It was times like these when I could see the age differences between my brother and I. Jasper was only two years older but was wise well beyond his years. Emmett was three years older and as much as I hated to admit it, even he had a certain level of maturity that I didn't.

"Well he should have talked to me about this and not jump down her throat. She doesn't know what's going on and he didn't have to be such a jackass." I sulked.

"I know, but I'm just explaining things to you. He is doing what's best for the family."

"The family, what family?" I muttered under my breath.

We stayed in New York for another half an hour and by the time I got back on the plane, I was still pissed so I decided not to talk to Carlisle, just like I had been doing.

I knew I was acting like a child but he had to understand that I could do what I pleased, within reason. I had a life outside of this one and I deserved to at least try to be normal.

The plane took off and we were in the air, cruising a couple minutes later.

I kept up my depressed facade and leaned back in my seat, pulling my ipod out. Bella had copied her entire music library onto my computer so that I could listen to some of the stuff she had. I was more of an oldies type guy and hadn't put anything on my ipod that wasn't made before 2000. Bella was more of a mellow rock type girl and I was surprised to learn that I like a lot of her music.

I took a nap that I didn't plan on being too long but when I woke up and checked my watch, I saw that four hours had passed. I stretched and looked around the cabin.

Emmett and Jasper were furiously hitting buttons on the Xbox, trying to beat each other at some racing game, my father was going over business documents and I didn't see Esme but I heard water running in the bathroom.

Carlisle lifted his head, his eyes hidden behind half moon glasses when I woke up.

"Glad to see you're awake, sleeping beauty." He chuckled.

"Don't do that." I snarled, "Don't act like everything's fine."

He shrugged, "I just don't see what your problem is. I did what I thought was right."

"You don't see what my problem is? How about the fact that you basically scared the hell out of Bella. She didn't deserve your attitude last Sunday."

"I didn't think it would matter. Once you get bored of her, you'll drop her just like every other woman." He said nonchalantly.

At this point, I was livid to a level of anger that I hadn't felt in a long time. I thought that I was a tiger, waiting to make his kill. I had to remind myself that this was my father or I would have blown his head off right there.

"You don't know anything about me. Ever since I turned thirteen, it's always been business with you."

Carlisle took off his glasses and sighed, "Edward, this isn't a therapy session. You know I love you, I love all of you but you're different and you can't just be with anyone."

"Why not? I'll be with whoever I want."

"Do you really think you know her?" His eyes hardened, "Do you?"

"Yes, more so than you at least."

He reached in his briefcase and pulled out a folder, flipping it open, "Did you know that she had surgery when she was six to correct a bone in her hand that healed wrong after she broke it the year before?"

I kept my mouth shut.

"Did you know that her stepfather had a gambling debt that could buy me a new car? It's paid off now and he hasn't stepped into a casino since but you can't erase bank records."

I couldn't say anything.

"Did you know that her mother got pregnant last year but miscarried? I don't even think Bella knows that."

I just glared and felt my lips press into a tight line.

"Thank God she has enough Italian in her to be legitimate. One eighth is more than enough to qualify but that doesn't cover up everything else."

"Are you kidding me? How can you love Rosalie like she's your daughter but treat Bella so horribly?"

"Rosalie is like a daughter because Emmett loves her."

"This is pathetic."

"Did you know that Bella's father mortgaged his house to put her through college? And that's not even the best part. Did you know that said father is a cop? A cop, Edward!" He threw Bella's background at me.

This provided an unforeseeable problem.

What was the chance that the girl I couldn't stay away from, had a father who was a cop?

"Not just a cop, Edward. He's the chief of freckin' police for that little po-dunk town in Washington. Could you have put us in a worse position?" He sat back in his seat, obviously proud of himself that he had stumped me.

I silently read over the pages he had and saw her father, Charlie's impressive police career list. Not only was he the chief of fucking police but he was a part of the Department of Security in Washington state.

This was impossible. This must be some kind of punishment for all the shit I've done in the past. What the fuck was I going to do now?

If her father was police, then he would have heard the name Cullen. Everyone had heard the name Cullen. Had she talked about me with him? Had she mentioned anything? Had she told him about my father?

_Holy shit! This was not good. _

After I thought about it for a second, doubts started to creep into my head. Was she working for the police? Had she been sent to infiltrate me or something crazy like that? She seemed so nice and genuine. Was that all a lie?

_No!_

I knew it wasn't. I had more faith in her than that. I had more faith in _us_ than that. Forget what the papers said. I knew what was real and I could tell when people were lying. Bella didn't know about my life and even though her father might be a cop, that still didn't diminish that fact that I wanted to be in her presence at almost all hours of the day.

That being said, this was something that wasn't a push in the right direction. Maybe this was a sign, some kind of omen that things between Bella and I wouldn't have an easy road. This was like a forbidden love, Romeo and Juliet mess that I had gotten myself into.

I was the son of a mob boss, she was the daughter of a police chief. How much more fucked up could we get?

"Family before anything else, Edward." Carlisle said lowly, "Drop her now before anyone gets hurt."

"Is that a threat?" I asked, almost in a growl.

"Absolutely. I won't have my entire empire, crumbled because you think with the wrong head."

"Would you rather I spend all my time with Vienna or Tanya? I'm sure we would have wonderful children together and your dynasty could stay intact."

"Vienna would be better than some piece of eighteen year old, street trash you picked up at a club."

"Fuck you." I threw the papers back at him and it was the first time that I had cursed at my father.

It was like the world stopped spinning and the air grew stale with tension.

Jasper and Emmett, who had been watching our shouting match, were both looking on with mouths hanging open.

I heard the gun cock before I saw it.

It was a massive Desert Eagle, similar to mine but two times bigger and entirely gold plated. Carlisle didn't shy away from decorating the thing so there was a substantial size ruby on the left side of the handle that used to be his mother's. He paid a pretty penny to have it laid in his gun.

The barrel of the shimmering gold was pointed right between my eyes and my breathing hitched for a quick second.

This wasn't the first time my father had pointed a gun at my face but this was the first time I had seen such anger behind his eyes. It was terrifying.

"Speak to me like that again and I will not hesitate to pull this trigger." He said so calmly that I was literally scared for my life.

"You wouldn't dare." I said in a soft voice, too afraid to actually talk.

"Don't test me, Edward. I've killed lesser men than you and I won't put up with your disloyalty."

"Si punta una pistola a tuo figlio. Come è che, per slealtà?" I said in Italian and even I was surprised by my boldness.

_You're pointing a gun at your son. How's that for disloyalty? _

I heard the sweet humming of my mother as she came out of the bathroom and her heels thumped on the carpeted floor.

"Carlisle!" She screeched when she saw what was going on, "What is wrong with you?"

"I'm just handling things, sweetheart. Our son needs to remember where his loyalties lie."

"I'm in control of my life, not you." I said through my teeth, very scared about my current situation and hoped that my father wasn't as daring as he came off.

Carlisle's eyes got bright with rage as he nearly shoved the gun into the flesh of my forehead.

"I swear, I leave for two minutes and a gun fight has immerged." Esme said harshly.

"I won't shoot him." My father replied.

"You're damn right you won't shoot him." Esme snatched the gun out of his hand so quickly that I didn't see it. She disabled the Eagle in a swift motion, breaking it into its four mechanical pieces within a second and threw them on the sofa behind her.

Carlisle looked like a child as his lips pouted and his whole body deflated.

"I can't believe you." Esme had her hands on her hips, "What has gotten into you lately, Carlisle?"

He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off, "I don't want to hear it. I can't even describe what I just saw to you. I should have taken a picture so that you could see how monstrous you just became."

"I wasn't going to harm him." My father's voice was actually timid.

"You had a gun pointed at our son's face." She said slowly, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry." He bowed his head and I didn't know if he was talking to her or me. I couldn't see his eyes but could still feel the anger rolling off of him or maybe that was my own fury.

"We need to talk." She pulled on the collar of his shirt and he lifted out of his seat, following her. Esme stomped back into their room and the door shut with a slam. I heard them shouting in Italian but I was through listening to my father.

My breathing was harsh and I actually felt a bead of sweat drip off of my brow.

I regained control of myself in a matter of minutes but that still didn't mask that fact that my father had threatened to kill me over Bella. Would I have died for her? Yes, I would have.

Maybe it was just me trying to be a rebellious teenager but just because he said something, didn't make it law. I would continue to see Bella and do it without his permission if necessary. I would flaunt her in front of him and bring her over to the house just because he said not to.

I realized that Bella was dividing a line in a family that once stood strong but I didn't care. This was my life and I could do as I pleased. My father could go to hell for all I cared.

"That was so wicked insane." Emmett came to sit next to me, "You okay?"

"Yeah." I sighed, "It wasn't the first time."

"I remember the first time Dad put a gun to my head." Jasper sat in Carlisle seat, "I was sixteen and wrecked his Porsche. That was not a good day."

"Oh yeah and then that time when I set my room on fire...accidentally of course." Emmett said evilly, "But he was so pissed. I saw the back end of that gun when it hit me over the head." He laughed.

I was calm but ran my hand through my hair for good measure to make sure that I was still alive.

The door to the bedroom opened and my mother reappeared, "Edward, honey, are you okay?" She pushed Emmett out of the way and hugged me.

"I'm fine, Ma." I said.

"I can't believe that man. He always gets this way when he's stressed. Don't worry." She kissed my head, "He won't be bothering you until we get to Moscow."

"I don't care."

"Don't act like that Edward. He really is sorry."

"No he's not. He said what he meant to say." I was still pretty angry.

She nodded sadly and then started walking back to the room but stopped and turned around, "Edward, I know love can be difficult but it takes work. If you truly care for Bella, which I know you do, this is going to be a very difficult decision for you two."

"The trial run is over." I said, not to anyone but myself. They didn't know what that meant. I was too long gone into this relationship to look back now.

"An eighteen year old, police chief's daughter. That's a better plot line than your father and I." She giggled.

Their relationship was hard as well in the beginning so she knew what I was going through. Her story was a long and sorted one that took way too long to tell.

"I just want you to know that I support you." She said sweetly, "I love Bella as much as you do."

"I don't love her." I said through clenched teeth.

"You come find me when you realize the truth, then we'll talk." Esme went back into the room and left us boys alone to sulk.

"This trip is already starting to turn into hell." Emmett groaned, "I knew I should have never come."

"Oh well, now we have an excuse to drink." Jasper got up and went to his bag, pulling out a monstrous bottle of Roberto Cavalli Vodka.

"I thought you got rid of that shit." Emmett went to the back of the cabin and got shot glasses along with a soup spoon.

"It's the only Italian vodka that tastes good. That's the only thing the Russians are good at." Jasper started pouring, "Vodka and guns."

"I thought Roberto Cavalli made clothes." I said.

"He makes everything." Jasper continued filling the cups.

He handed each shot to us and I took the spoon from Emmett, pouring extra vodka in it. I retrieved the lighter from my pocket and lit the spoon. The alcohol burned a bright blue color and the smell wafted through the cabin.

I trickled a drop of burning liquid into each of our full shot glasses and they all erupted in orange flames.

"To Edward's fucked up life. Salute." Emmett raised his shot and blew it out before downing the thing.

"To Edward's fucked up life. Salute." Jasper did the same.

"To my fucked up life. Salute." I raised my shot, blew out the flame and drank the burning vodka.

We touched down in Moscow that night at midnight and with the time change, we were nine hours ahead of Chicago so it was three in the afternoon back home.

I didn't want to call Bella for the simple fact that I was too pissed. I was still getting over the fuck awful plane ride so I refrained from dialing her number. We all got off of the plane at Sheremetyevo International Airport and even in mid-October, it was close to freezing. Well, maybe not that cold but I had to wear a big coat.

We got into the back of two waiting cars, me going with Emmett and Jasper.

"I hate this place." Emmett looked out of window, "It's so dingy."

"Dingy?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, just look at this city. It's filthy…"

"It's filled the best and brightest." I gave a sardonic reply.

Truth be told, Moscow and Russia in general weren't my favorite places to visit. Emmett was right, this city held some of the worst criminals in the world and my father owned them all. The whole reason that we were here was because Carlisle came to collect on a debt. He could have done this by himself I guess but in these types of business deals, it was better to have strength in numbers. Esme would of course be locked away for our duration of the trip and I don't even know why she came but there's no changing her mind once it's set.

The cars drove through the late night streets of Moscow as the city lights shinned off of the wet road in front of us. We passed the Kremlin, Red Square and all three of us crossed ourselves as we road by St. Basil Cathedral.

Compared to other districts, the city's south and southwest sides have considerably less industry. This was the place where all the historical sites were and the rich loved to purchase property out here, my father included.

The townhouse we owned was actually two put together since nothing in this city was very big. Esme spent six months designing the place and just broke down walls as she pleased. The space was now a giant, four story townhouse that was probably bigger than the Prime Minister's place.

The cars stopped with a halt in front of the brick residence and we got out, removing our bags from the trunk. Carlisle already had the door unlocked and Esme was turning on lights when I came in.

I was in a really pisssy mood and didn't feel like talking to anyone so I just bypassed the family, stomping upstairs to the room I always stayed in. I would have given anything to just go home but duty called.

Tomorrow was going to be a rough day.

My body clock was off on account of the time difference but I just stayed in my bed and listened to my ipod the whole night.

By the time the sun started to peek through my window, I was up and in the shower for exactly twenty-seven minutes. Washing, shaving, exfoliating just like normal.

I got out of the shower, clicked the lights on and off twice and went to the small ass closet where I unpacked all my things last night.

I threw on a pair of underwear and then thumbed through my selection of pants. I chose a sleek pair of light grey ones and then the blazer that went with them. I buttoned up a crisp white shirt, put on a black skinny tie, shrugged into my jacket, got on socks and black shoes and then ran my hands through my hair.

It took all of three minutes and my morning routine was done.

I walked downstairs where the smell of cooking bacon was coming from and went into the kitchen where I saw my mother at the stove. Carlisle was sitting at the island, drinking coffee and reading a paper, like he usually did in the mornings. I sat next to him without a word.

"Oh, hello Edward. Did you have a good night?" Esme pushed a heaping plate of bacon and eggs towards me.

"Thank you and no, I didn't have a good night." I ate silently.

She gave Carlisle the evil eye and then went back to cooking.

An hour later, Jasper and Emmett had come down in suits like mine. They ate and talked to Carlisle since I wasn't and our plans for the day were discussed.

"Why does Albert always disobey the rules?" Jasper sighed, "We wouldn't even have to be here if he kept his promises."

"Yes well that's not our problem. We came through for him, set a timeline and he didn't follow that so his time is up." My father folded his paper and set it next to him.

"Is anyone getting out of this alive?" Emmett asked.

"No, not on his end. He wants to play games, he can lose everything he has."

"I wish you boys would stop talking so evilly. I think I'm going to church today." Esme sat at the island next to me.

"Do whatever you wish, dear but we probably won't be back for a couple of hours."

Kisses were given, guns were checked and we were walking out of the door half an hour later.

My father drove the black Mercedes and I sat up front with Emmett and Jasper in back as we quickly maneuvered through early morning cars, on their way to work.

"Were you listening to what I said this morning?" Carlisle asked me.

"Yes." I replied shortly.

"Is your head in the game?"

"Are you trying to ask me if I'm distracted by Bella?" I scowled at him.

He chuckled, "No but glad you're thinking in that route."

He still hadn't apologized for pointing a gun in my face but I didn't expect him to. The thing that annoyed me was that he didn't even acknowledge it.

The rest of the ride was silent as we darted through traffic. The beautiful parks and buildings of Moscow soon turned into what Emmett hated most. Dingy was the only word to describe what we were passing.

The sun seemed to cloud over completely as the Mercedes drove through dark alleyways and oversized, abandoned warehouses were everywhere. It was all very industrial and…dingy. I saw some pretty shady people standing around and looking over their shoulders as the seconds turned onto minutes on the road but they didn't bother me in the least.

My father parallel parked in between one of the warehouses on the corner of a particularly horrible street and put on his black leather gloves. We did the same.

"Like I said this morning, no one lives." Carlisle said simply, "Make sure you have enough." He checked the magazine of his golden Eagle and reached over me for two other cartridges.

I handed out all the cartridges that were in the glove box and we were all outfitted with at least two guns so this shouldn't be that hard. Emmett and Jasper had their huge semi-automatics but I liked to stick with smaller handhelds. You had to get closer to someone to kill them and I like seeing them die.

We all got out of the car and a group of street rats were circling the Mercedes. They were talking quickly in a deep European twang. Carlisle spoke to them in Russian and they ran off to play.

Carlisle went around to the back of the large warehouse and we all followed behind him. Once he reached a discrete door that no one would have noticed unless they knew what they were looking for, he knocked four times and we waited.

A panel slid out and two eyes squinted to see who we were. Once they realized that the Cullens were standing at their door, the eyes widened in fear and the panel shut.

I heard someone shout, "Everyone get out. They're here." On the other side of the door.

"Emmett." Carlisle said and my brother shot the lock off of the door with his .44 caliber Magnum, which had been designed to stop a car but worked well in breaking steel locks as well.

He kicked the door in easily and it hung off its hinges. We steeped over the wreckage, and had guns at the ready as people fled in all directions.

Albert was a young man of about forty who borrowed eight million dollars from Carlisle seven years ago to start a human trafficking ring throughout northern Europe. My father gave him seven years to pay it back and his time was up.

There were two main problems with this. First, Carlisle didn't deal with slavery. Albert knew this and lied to him when asking for loan, calming that he was starting up some illegal export contacts. Carlisle was not too happy once he found out that Albert had deceived him but decided to give him a change. The second problem was that Albert was way over his due date.

I checked his numbers and Albert had been making about ten million every year since he started this thing so why haven't we gotten our measly eight back?

We were here to collect and we were pissed.

This warehouse was where Albert did all of his industry dealings but it mainly served as a sleazy whorehouse.

Naked girls were running around, Albert's men were trying to fumble with firepower, Albert was nowhere to be seen but I suspect that the man at the door would have alerted him to our arrival.

Carlisle shot his gun in the air twice, silencing all the screaming, "I need to see Albert." He spoke loudly enough so that his voice echoed off of the stone walls and concrete floors.

The whorehouse must have been closed for the day because there weren't any patrons, just naked girls and the people who worked under Albert. A vicious, snarling dog was barking in the corner, baring his teeth and foaming at the mouth. The thing was annoying the hell out of me.

"Carlisle, so nice to see you again." A fat, balding man said. He was Albert's brother Gerome and was the slimiest motherfucker you would ever meet. He held out his arms like they were old friends. Emmett, Jasper and I stood back, guns at the ready to watch out father work.

"Where is he?" Carlisle asked, not even sweating.

"My brother?" Gerome said in a heavy Russian accent.

"Yes, your brother. I won't say it again."

"He's not here at the moment. May I take a message?" The fucker laughed.

Carlisle blew a hole perfectly above Gerome's right collarbone in the blink of an eye.

Screamed erupted and Gerome crumbled to the ground in pain, yelling to the high heavens.

"Where is he?" Carlisle asked to everyone in the warehouse. Girls were cowering in the corner and Albert's thugs were holding back more snarling dogs.

Carlisle nodded to Jasper, an indication to shut the door because this was about to get really messy. Jasper shut and locked the steel entrance that Emmett nearly broke but it was easily salvageable.

"Carlisle." A thick voice said from above us.

We turned around and Albert descended the stairs at a leisurely pace, a golden cane in his hand and a slight limp. He was in a stylish suit and had a young teenage boy following him who looked terrified. The boy was dressed in rags and I wouldn't be surprised if he was Albert's own personal slave/servant/sex toy.

"Albert." My father nodded, "You know why I'm here."

"Of course. Why don't we sit." Albert suggested and snapped his fingers.

Two muscular men, almost Emmett's size, brought a table and two chairs to place in the middle of the cavernous room.

Carlisle sat in one and Albert the other. We stayed standing behind our father.

"So, what can I do for you today?" Albert asked, almost smugly, crossing his legs. That would get him in trouble.

"I'm here to collect. I gave you seven years and your time is up."

A group of Albert's whores were trying to inch up the stairs but Jasper shot a hole right above their heads.

"No one leaves." He said coldly.

Normally, was father wasn't so cold as to just kill seemingly innocent women but we all knew that the sluts Albert kept were far from angels. The ones here served as madams, pimping out younger girls to rich clients so in this case, we didn't have an issue with ending their lives.

"That wasn't very nice." Albert tsked.

"We're not here to play nice." Carlisle's tone was evil yet low. He never raised his voice.

"As I saw it, when we made our agreement, I took it more as a gift." Albert sat back in his chair. His slave boy brought him a cup of coffee, his head bowed the whole time.

"Oh really?" My father held his hand out behind him. I pulled the folder from my jacket and gave it to him, "As you can see by the contract you signed, this was clearly not a gift as you put it. Eight million dollars to be paid back over seven years in a lump sum or on some kind of payment plan. You chose a lump sum and I even gave you a six month grace period."

"I can pay you now." Albert sighed.

"I don't want your money now. I want your blood in place of it. You played me for a fool, Albert."

"Oh Carlisle, let's stop this game. We're both grown men, we can come to some kind of an agreement."

"And how would that make me look?" My father sat back, "I can't have you living when you broke a promise to me. What would everyone say?"

"I never knew you to be one to care what people thought."

Carlisle let out a dark chuckle, "Not usually, no."

During this whole conversational period, Gerome's cries could be heard from behind us as he rolled around in a pool of thick, red liquid. No one moved and I heard more barking dogs as guards started to appear.

I cracked my neck in preparation for whatever was about to go down.

"I'm not here to get money because to be honest, once you're dead, everything you own will be mine." Carlisle said.

"Do you think you can just take everything and get away with your life?" Albert leaned in, "This isn't your turf."

"It became my turf when my money crossed into this country."

"You know Sergio owns everything over here. Do you choose not to hear the talk or are you really oblivious to what's about to happen?"

"Please, enlighten me."

"Everyone's talking. You have too much power Carlisle. You can't rule forever."

"Can't I?"

"Things are about to get very dangerous on your end of the world. Shinobu, the Denalis, the Volturis, none of them are happy and you have a shit storm coming your way."

I rolled my eyes at that. They were all just mere thorns in my fucking side, not a problem that we needed to be worried about.

"Aro has been mad at me since we were young. He always has something to say." My father replied.

"It's not you he's after." Albert said and his eyes shifted to mine for a quick second.

Carlisle sat up a little straighter, "If Aro has something to say to me and dares threaten my family, then let him but that's not why I'm here today."

"Well I don't know what I can do for you. I don't have the money."

"I'm going to ignore that lie. I told you that I wasn't here for your money."

Albert snapped his fingers and a barking dog was let go from the corner, barreling towards us. Before he could even start running at full speed, Emmett had fired a bullet through his skull. The dog whimpered to the ground, brain matter splattering in all directions.

"I'm sorry, Albert." Carlisle said and things erupted into a vicious blood bath as shots rang out all over the warehouse.

I left my brothers to handle themselves and slipped behind a crate to check the magazine of my Eagle. I took off my jacket and rolled up my sleeves, ready to work. The irony of comparing scrubbing my floors yesterday and killing mafia men today, wasn't lost on me.

When I stood back up, guards were already dead, whores were running around screaming, dogs were snarling and Carlisle had the look of death on his face but Albert was still alive, for now.

I shot at anything that moved and my first bullet struck a woman with no clothes on in the face, causing a gaping hole above her nose. I didn't have time to care before I moved behind the crate, firing off shots at bodyguards that dared even look at me. Everyone was dropping like flies and since our father trained us well, Jasper, Emmett and I were basically having target practice.

There was so much noise and blood but I kept my mind focused on killing.

I didn't know how much time had passed but the numbers quickly started to shrink and I was stepping over bodies, blood being splattered on my clothes.

The magazine of my Eagle was exhausted so I quickly put another one in and started firing again. I hit men in the groin, causing as much pain as possible and didn't even bother looking at the whores as I picked them off one by one.

I moved from my hiding spot, into the open as I started firing at a row of guards on the second floor who were pointing guns at my father. I shot precisely into each one of their heads, causing them to fall onto the floor below.

It was all happening so fast but in slow motion at the same time.

I slid under a table that Jasper was using for protection.

"Let me use the Ak-47." I panted and shoved my now empty Eagle back into my belt.

"No, I was about to use it." He shot above the table and a scream sounded off.

"We don't have time for this. Give it to me." I demanded and tried to reach over him for the rifle but he pushed it away.

"No. You won't let me use your guns so you should have thought about being prepared." He shot again at a guard who was inching dangerously close to us but now had four bullets in his chest.

"Jasper, this isn't a game."

"You're right. Let me use your Eagle." He raised an eyebrow.

I snarled at his logic. No one used my Eagle except me.

"See. Get your own firepower." He smirked.

I didn't give Jasper another chance to speak before I rolled over, bringing the gun with me as I darted out from behind the table. I stood up and started running, dodging bullets.

"Damn it, Edward!" Jasper yelled but he was quickly drowned out by the ballistics that I was firing into the air in rapid succession.

I just made sure to not hit Emmett, Jasper or Carlisle but everything else was dying.

I suddenly felt a sharp pain on my ankle and fell to the floor as teeth ripped into my flesh.

"What the fuck." I turned around on the ground and saw a vicious dog tearing into my pants. My Armani pants.

I tried to push him off, not wanting to outright slay an animal but the look in his eyes told me that he was trained to kill.

I whipped the butt of the gun around, smacking the dog in the head but he still clamped on so I started pounding the back of the AK-47 into his skull until his teeth loosened and I heard a crack. His head nearly split down the middle as blood started pouring out the wound. He fell over to the side, nothing more than a mound of fur.

I looked down at my torn pant leg and the red liquid that was staining the fabric.

"Son of a horse's bitch." I muttered while gunshots still rang out around me.

"Your outfit get messed up?" Emmett teased and took the AK-47 from me, swinging the strap over his shoulder. In true Emmett fashion, he had taken off his shirt completely, looking like something out of Rambo with nothing on but his suit pants and dress shoes.

_Show off. _

I rolled my eyes and then heard heavy footsteps from behind me. I was dragged up by my neck as strong arms lifted me off of the ground.

A low voice spoke in Russian but I didn't pay any attention as I maneuvered out of his grasp. I could tell from his hunched stance and foot work, that the guard was Spetsnaz…Russian army.

_Shit!_

He was holding a sharp knife that he was throwing in between his hands, trying to get my eyes to follow it.

The ache from my dog bite was becoming known but I didn't feel pain anymore. After all these years, my mind didn't register it.

Spetsanz Fucker lunged at me and tried to stab my stomach but I quickly jumped out of the way. I might not have as much muscle as Emmett but I was fast.

I pulled the gun of out of Spetsnaz Fucker's belt and shot him dead in the back before he could even turn around. Five shots and five holes.

He went down without another movement.

I looked around and was breathing heavily as I surveyed the damage. I did a quick count of over thirty bodies, men and women, all covered in blood in heaps on the floor.

"Was that all of them?" Jasper asked, panting.

"Yup." Emmett kicked over a guard that was screaming and shot him in the head.

Carlisle was standing over Albert in the middle of the room, not a scratch on him. Albert's gold cane was stuck through his skull, sticking straight up, half broken. The cane was dripping with blood and the other half of it was pushed through Albert's chest.

My father looked slightly disheveled as hair lingered in his face but his clothes were pristine, like he had never even stepped out of the house.

None of us spoke to each other and we made sure that everyone was dead. A few had managed to survive so we finished them quickly.

"Is everyone alright?" Carlisle asked us.

"Yeah." I answered.

"Good." He nodded, "We need to leave before the cops get here."

"Yeah right. They've been after Albert for years. They would probably give you a medal."Jasper laughed.

"Be that as it may, I don't want to get caught up in Eastern European politics." He walked around, "Start the clean up."

Emmett left the warehouse and came back with a massive can of kerosene. He started walking around with it turned upside down, pouring out a nasty smelling liquid to coat every surface.

"This wasn't the worst we've had to do." Carlisle checked badges of the dead guards.

"Nothing like what happened in Miami." I said, remembering what a blood bath that was. I had more than a few battle wounds from that fight.

"Hey! What the hell are we going to do with this thing?" Emmett said suddenly and tried to crawl into the corner.

The slave boy darted away from him and starting running around the warehouse towards the exit. Jasper and I kept shooting at him but the fucker was fast and he dove behind a crate.

"Hey, boy!" Jasper yelled and went to chase after him. He caught him by his rag of a shirt and started pulling the slave towards Carlisle.

The boy was screaming and shouting in Russian but he didn't have an accent. He had no shoes and his body was filthy.

Jasper dropped him at Carlisle's feet and the boy whimpered with his head down.

Emmett stopped pouring, put his shirt back on and came to join our group. We trapped the boy in a circle so that he couldn't try to run again.

"What's your name?" Carlisle asked forcefully.

The boy didn't lift his head and didn't reply.

Carlisle picked him up roughly by his shirt, "I asked you a question." He shook him.

"Al…Alec." He said in perfect English with a slight accent.

"How old are you?"

"I think fourteen." His voice was so shy and almost withdrawn.

"You think?" Carlisle was over playing games.

"I don't remember."

"Where are you from?" Jasper asked.

"I don't remember."

Carlisle threw him back on the ground, "Do you have a family?"

"No, Albert is my master."

Carlisle looked at me and then Emmett and then Jasper.

"Get up." Carlisle said, his voice softening in a second, "Follow me." He instructed and then started walking out of the door.

Alec didn't move but stayed huddled on the floor in a ball.

"Hey, kid. You might want to listen to him." Jasper pointed behind as Carlisle left the warehouse.

"I…I can't." Alec shook, "Albert will kill me."

"You see this, kid?" Emmett pointed to Albert on the floor next to us, "That's your master. He aint coming back."

"I…I can't." He repeated.

I shrugged, "Leave him here." I started to walk away, knowing perfectly well that when this bitch began burning to the ground, Alec would be the first one out.

Jasper, Emmett, and I stood outside the warehouse as I lit a match and set a stream of kerosene on fire that led to the door. The whole thing erupted in flames from the inside and thick black smoke started to crawl up to the sky.

We all got in the waiting Mercedes and Carlisle left the car running for two minutes. A fire truck's sirens were wailing in the distance but we didn't move. Emmett held the back car door open as he sat inside.

Alec ran out of the warehouse, in between the flames and stood on the street with a frightened look on his face.

"Get in, kid." Emmett held the door open wider.

Alec hesitantly jumped in but moved quicker when a window upstairs blew out.

Emmett shut the door and Carlisle pumped the gas at the same time. We sped off without a word and merged into heavy traffic on our way into the better part of town.

Half an hour later, we halted in front of the townhouse.

"Are…are you going to kill me?" Alec asked in a whisper, "I can work. Just don't kill me, please."

"No. We won't kill you." My father said simply and got out of the car.

"He's a good guy, just don't make him mad." I sighed, speaking to myself and the kid in the back.

Emmett put Alec over his shoulder and carried him inside as Jasper and I followed. I locked the doors and we went into the family room where Esme was watching the news. The story was about a warehouse down near the docks that was currently being engulfed in flames. The sorry ass fire department was trying their hardest to put it out.

"I'm so glad you all are safe." Esme jumped off of the couch and wrapped her arms around Jasper's body.

He just laughed and hugged her back, "We're fine, Ma."

"Yeah and we brought you a present." Emmett set Alec down.

Esme tilted her head and looked between Alec and Carlisle, "Who's this?" She asked.

"This is Alec, sweetheart. He was Albert's slave." My father took off his jacket, throwing it over the back of the couch.

Esme's face softened to the point of melted ice cream and I already knew what was going through her head.

"Great, another one." I threw my hands up in the air.

"Hey, orphans are cool." Jasper defended his people with a chuckle, "I should know."

"You're not an orphan. Shut up." Carlisle hit the back of his head.

"I'm surprised you left any survivors." Esme quirked an eyebrow at my father, "And don't sit on my sofa with all that blood. Everyone, down to your underwear." She commanded.

"Ma…" Emmett complained.

"Oh hush. I've seen you in less." She ran to the kitchen and came back with a black trash bag, holding it out for us to drop our clothes into.

I was the first to strip down, not really caring and stood in the corner in nothing but boxers. Jasper, Emmett and Carlisle followed and they all stuffed them in the bag. Esme held it out for Alec but he stood there shyly.

"Do…do I have to?" He hung his head.

"Is something wrong?" Esme asked him.

"No, I just don't want to."

"Are you alright?" My mother's voice was endearing.

"I don't…I don't know where I am. Are you going to hurt me?" Alec shook when Esme stepped closer to him.

"No, we're here to help you." She said sweetly.

"But…you killed all those people." I could barely hear him.

"You're going to have to get over that, kid." Emmett came back into the room with a piece of chicken.

I think I heard Alec crying.

Esme dropped the bag and wrapped her arms around his filthy body. He was so malnourished that he looked even skinner than she did but was about a head taller.

"Come on. I'll help you." Esme said lovingly and started to lead him upstairs, "Jasper, burn those." She pointed at the trash bag.

"Did you have to bring him back here?" Emmett asked Carlisle.

"I couldn't leave him there. He didn't do anything." My father said and looked at me, "He won't be a problem." The way Carlisle said it was like he was disappointed in me. Maybe Alec could provide him with a son he was proud of.

I didn't say anything back.

Carlisle then followed Esme upstairs, "Emmett, call Jerry back home and tell him to get another room ready."

Jasper picked up the bag, taking it in the back, Emmett laid out on the couch with his phone and I nearly ran upstairs.

I immediately jumped in the shower and turned the water to near burning temperature. I let it run over my body as my muscles relaxed. With the time difference and the fucking death trap I just walked out of, my body was exhausted. I made sure to disinfect my dog bite that didn't look too bad and then washed all the grime out of my hair.

After my twenty-seven minutes in the shower, I got out and just pulled on a pair of boxers before climbing into cool sheets. I sighed longingly one time before I dialed Bella's number on my phone. With it being noon here in Moscow, it was three in the morning in Chicago but Bella said I could call her no matter what time of day it was and I didn't think I could go through the rest of the time here without hearing her voice.

_I know, I'm a pussy._

The phone rang four times and I knew that my long distance bill was going to be higher than Mt. Everest but I didn't care.

She picked up with a groggy, tired voice, _"Edward?"_

"Hey, beautiful." I couldn't help the grin that crept onto my face.

"_Finally! I fell asleep on the phone." _

"Sorry." I chuckled, "How are you?"

"_Tired but happy to hear from you." _

"Should I let you go back to bed?"

"_Don't you dare." _

Her voice literally pulled all the negative energy out of me and calmed my body to the point of a comatose state.

"_So, how was your day? What did you do?" _

"Oh, nothing special. Just the same old, same old."

* * *

HOLY RUSSIAN, BLOODY SHOOTOUT BATMAN

AWWWW, I LOVE IT. THIS HAS TO BE MY FAVORITE CHAPTER SO FAR

LOTS TO TALK ABOUT.

CARLISLE ABOUT TO SHOOT EDWARD, EDWARD STANDNG UP FOR BELLA, ESME BEING BADASS, THEN THE WHOLE THING WITH ALBERT...ITS JUST SO MUCH!

LET ME JUST SAY BEFORE ANYONE ASKS ALEC IS NOT BAD. HE ISN'T WORKING FOR ANYONE ELSE SO DON'T EXPECT HIM TO BE A DOUBLE AGENT.

FOR MORE OF MY RAMBLINGS, GO TO THE BLOG, THE POST IT UP.

COME BACK ON THURSDAY FOR AN EXTRA CHAPTER!


	19. Chapter 18

Strategy for the Demise

"_The more you mow us down, the more numerous we grow; the blood of Christians is seed."__- __Tertullian_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

Officer Jacob Black sat back in his swivel chair and gripped his hair.

The Chicago Police Department's offices were closed, only the night maids were up at this hour. He had been going through his files for the past six hours, not moving, not eating, not sleeping.

The Cullens were providing more of a problem than he ever thought possible. It was so hard to even think about what they were up to because they always stayed two steps ahead of the police. It was impossible to catch these fuckers. Who the hell were they?

The thing about Officer Jacob Black was that the more the Cullens outsmarted him, the more he was determined to catch them at their own game. He took his job seriously and didn't put up with bullshit, including the infamous Cullens.

Black would have given up by now if he was any lesser man. He never gave up on a challenge.

Jacob sighed a heavy sigh and sat up in his seat, taking a huge gulp of coffee.

"This shouldn't be that hard." He groaned, "I'm better than them."

It wasn't the fact that the Cullens were innocent but Black didn't want to arrest Carlisle for tax evasion, Edward for a speeding ticket or Emmett on a morals charge. He was going for the big guns. Extortion, drugs, guns, illegal money laundering, murder; there was a list as long as the Chicago River but somehow nothing ever stuck.

Carlisle was clean. He never left tracks and his sons followed in his pristine record.

Black thought back through his memory at what he was doing wrong. Why couldn't he catch them?

It was inconceivable that someone could be totally infallible. Even the Pope and some form of sin in him but if you looked at a Cullen's record, you would have never known that they were carrying any baggage. It was like they were clean without a smudge on them.

While Carlisle was the leader and Emmett was the muscle and Jasper was the charmer, Edward was the second-in-command, the man in the most valuable position.

Who would take over when the father stepped down? Who would rise to become the boss? Who would everyone else answer to? Who would be the man in charge?

Edward.

That was who Black was after. Maybe it was because they were around the same age, maybe it was because they had similar goals of superiority, or maybe it was the simple fact that Edward had taunted him for years but Jacob Black wasn't giving up until he had the second-in-command, in handcuffs.

An arrest of Edward Cullen would be an immediate career boost and on top of it all, Black would be able to put his nemesis away for life.

The only problem was that Edward had a brain on him that rivaled any mathematician or Rhodes Scholar out there. It was shameful at how easily he could elude the law and still be living to tell his sorted tale.

"Hey, Boss." Seth Clearwater walked into the office with a bag full of amazing smelling sandwiches, "I got you the regular pastrami on rye." He sat down and propped his feet up on the desk.

"I can't eat right now." Black grunted, "I'm so pissed at myself."

"Why, what happened now?" Clearwater took a huge bite out of his meatball sub.

"I've been going over this shit for the past two weeks and I don't even think I've made a dent in these files." He pounded his fists on the desk.

"Oh come on. You can't beat yourself up over this thing. The Cullens are untouchable."

Black glared at his deputy, "That's why no one's caught them yet. People think that they can get away with what they want..."

"I didn't mean anything by it but you've just got to wait for them to fuck themselves over."

"That could take years." Black picked up a grainy black and white photo, "Do you see this guy?"

Clearwater nodded with a mouthful of food.

"That's Nicola Rossini aka Cullen. He started this whole family and he's still sitting pretty in Sicily. Granted, he's over one hundred but still…"

"So what does he have to do with anything?"

"He was smart but his grandson is smarter. Carlisle has created super machines for sons and I will catch them but I don't know how to pin them down."

"It's not like we haven't been trying. We've gone through all the files, we've been following them for weeks. What more do you want us to do?"

"I want you to catch the fuckers." In a rage, Black shoved some papers off of his desk, "No one is above the law." He shouted.

"Whoa, Jake dude, calm down." Clearwater said, concerned that this case was going to give his boss and friend an aneurysm.

"I know, I know." Blacked breathed in deeply, "I just can't stand Edward." He growled.

Clearwater chuckled, "Edward is one cocky son of a bitch but he's crafty."

"Whose side are you on?" Black glowered.

"I'm on yours, Boss. Honest but you're going to kill yourself over this and they just aren't worth it. Let the Cullens come to an end on their own. We know half of the underworld is after them, especially Edward so it's not too much longer…"

"That's just the thing, half of the underworld has been after them for the past century. No one is ever going to take them down because they're too powerful."

"We just need an in. It shouldn't be this hard." Clearwater sat back in his seat.

They thought silently for about ten minutes, not saying anything because nothing was really worth saying.

This was driving everyone in the Organized Crime division crazy. Black had halted all of his other inferior cases, allowing the majority of his time get filled with the Cullens. Clearwater, although he was young, was clever and could help in tight situations. It wasn't that easy for a deputy to think on his toes but Clearwater was good at what he did.

There was a knock at the door and a tired looking Embry Call was panting in the entrance.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Black asked his other deputy.

"I…I …I just ran up the stairs…" He sat in the other chair, grabbing Clearwater's bottle of water, "The elevators are out."

"If you were in shape, this wouldn't be a problem." Black shook his head.

"I have a six pack, that automatically makes me in shape." Call downed the water, "Anyway, I have news."

"News?" Clearwater arched his eyebrow.

"Yeah and I couldn't find Cullen anywhere. Edward was like a ghost since yesterday and I found out from some guys I know over at the airport that Daddy Cullen charted his jet for a weeklong trip to Moscow."

"Really?" Black leaned back with his hands crossed behind his head.

"Yes, really. They left yesterday and won't be back for five days."

"Good, that gives us five days to work freely." Black got a new sense of excitement in him, "I assume he took all the boys?"

"Yeah."

"This is our chance to get in. We have to find a way to clip these fuckers at the knees." Black sat up, going over his files one more time.

"The family is so tight. They don't leave any loose holes." Clearwater thought out loud after a couple of silent seconds, watching his boss go crazy at his desk.

Black shifted the papers a little too quickly and a sharp pain stabbed the middle finger of his right hand.

"Shit." He said and watched as a small pool of blood began to pour out of the paper cut. A few drops dripped onto the files on his desk.

"Let me have a napkin." He said to Clearwater who handed one over.

Black began to cleanly wipe the few beads of blood off of the files.

He was blotting the outside of another black and white picture when he saw something strange. Black had looked through thousands of pictures and this particular one probably about fifty times alone.

This certain photo was strange because it was the only one where Edward was smiling. Out of the massive amount of photographs, only one was with a smiling Edward. What kind of sadistic fucker was this guy?

It was landscaped outside of one of the freshman dorms at Northwestern. Edward had been visiting there lately but no one thought anything of it since a few Cullen cousins attended the school.

On this particular occasion, Black's blood had dripped in exactly the right spot, illuminating a certain portion of the picture that was hidden in the shadow of a tree. Edward was laughing towards the silhouetted figure and it had previously been shrouded in darkness due to the late afternoon time that the photo was taken but a certain halo appeared over the newly uncovered form.

Black turned on the halogen desk lamp and held the photograph up so that the light shined through the portrait. There were students running around the quad, the trees were in full bloom and it was taken last week by a deputy who had been tailing Edward.

The spot of blood shined in the light from the lamp and a beautiful woman appeared to clarify in that very second.

Since the picture was taken in grayscale, distinctive characteristics such as eye or hair color couldn't be determined but at least Black could tell that she was striking, totally unlike the other sluts Edward usually conquered.

Black looked between Edward's smile and this new woman's beautiful face.

_Who was she? _

"Have you seen this?" He asked his deputies.

"What?" Call went behind the desk to get a better look.

"Who's this?" Black pointed to the blood stained profile of the woman.

"Uh…I don't know." Was Call's answer.

"You've been tailing the fucker for a month and you don't know?"

"Sorry but it's not like I keep my eyes on him all day."

"She's wearing a Northwestern shirt and outside of the freshman dorms, find out who she is." Black threw the picture at Clearwater.

A new sense of anticipation flowed through the officer who had finally found an in.

What stumped Black the most was that he had looked at that picture dozens of times and he was still in the dark as to who that girl was. How had he not seen her before? He should have been more proactive about all of this. He should have known everyone in Edward's life. Who was this girl who made him smile?

It took Clearwater an easy fifteen minutes of searching the Northwestern University registrar to find the girl. He basically just hit the next button on the computer three hundred and twenty one times until _she _appeared.

"Her name is Isabella Swan." Clearwater came barreling back into the office, "She's eighteen and from Forks, Washington, wherever the hell that is."

Black snatched the papers out of Clearwater's hand, quickly reviewing the information that came complete with a school photograph, "Eighteen?"

"Yeah just turned legal a month ago. We could get him on statuary if he's fucking her." Clearwater said hopefully.

"No. Too hard to prove, too much of a cop out. I want to hit him hard." Black dispelled that theory.

For fifteen minutes, no one said anything and Black read through everything that was to be known about Isabella Swan.

A father who is a cop? Maybe that would be useful.

This was some shit that was only found in dramatic movies. What the hell had Cullen gotten himself into now?

Isabella Swan was a freshman from some little town in Washington State and didn't have any kind of infraction against her so she was clean.

The more Black thought about her, the more he realized that he had seen this girl before, twice in fact. They were both times when he wasn't really paying attention but he wished he had now. Each time, Edward was with her.

Once, they were laid out on the grass in the very quad in the picture, reading. When the hell did Edward ever read with a girl?

The second occurrence that sprung into Black's mind was the time when he saw them eating ice cream and walking down State Street. Her hair was pulled up then so she could have been someone totally different but Black didn't think so. It had to be her.

_So…Edward had a girlfriend?_

Suddenly, things snapped in Black's head.

He looked between Clearwater, who was currently picking his teeth, and this Isabella Swan in the photograph. Plans were formulated in his head within a second.

Black had found his way in.

* * *

**HOLY BLACK IS BACK BATMAN**

**I KNOW THIS CHAPTER WAS SHORT AND CREATED A LOT MORE QUESTIONS THAN GAVE ANSWERS, BUT IT WILL MAKE SENSE IN TOMORROW'S CHAPTER. THAT'S A LONG ONE! **

**EVERYTHING IS FALLING INTO PLACE FOR THIS STORY AND IT'S ABOUT TO GET VERY BUMPY BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO AND REMEMBER THAT THIS STORY IS ABOVE ALL ELSE, ONE ABOUT LOVE. WE WILL GET SOME LOCING OUT OF BELLA AND EDWARD, YET. DON'T WORRY. **

**IN OTHER NEWS, TWBB HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR AN ALL HUMAN TWILIGHT AWARD. I'M SO EXCITED. HERE IS THE EMAIL I GOT FROM THE PROMPTER OF THE AWARDS. **

Basically (as the subject suggests) I am writing to tell you that your story 'There Will Be Blood' has been nominated for an award in the Class of 2010 Awards at my award site 'Twilight All Human Fanfiction Awards' (twilightallhumanawards . webs . com- remove the spaces or there is a working link on my profile).

The Class of 2010 Awards will be in three stages throughout the year- one every four months – and then a final round at the end of the year. The top three stories of each category will go forward to be in the final vote in December 2010 or January 2011 so that I can hopefully find the very best stories of 2010! This is the second stage of the awards.

Your story has been nominated for the 'best written fanfiction of the year so far' award and a link to your fanfiction and profile is posted on the site under the 'Nominations' page. Your story has also been added to the C2 community for nominees, which you can find via my profile. I hope that this is okay with you- if you would like me to take the link down, or the story out of the community, just let me know.

Nominations will not be accepted after the 22nd August and voting will start on the 27th Auguest until the 10th September. You will be allowed to vote for your own story if you wish to. Winners will be announced on the 12th September on the 'Winners' page as with Round 1 and the top three in each category will be notified by PM.

I would be very grateful if you'd head over and nominate any all human fanfictions that you think deserve to be nominated and if you'd maybe leave a note for readers of your story to go and nominate their favourites too.

If you have any questions or anything about the site or the nominating process etc please just ask either in a PM via this profile or my own (my penname is Stephaniiie- you can find my profile under my favourite authors) or send an e-mail to dazzle(underscore)dazzle(underscore)dazzlelive . co . uk with an appropriate subject

Please reply to this PM if you are unhappy about the nomination. If you do not reply, or reply otherwise, then I will presume that you are okay with it.

If you would like to know more, then go to twilightallhumanawards . webs . com

Thanks and good luck!  
Steph

**I KNOW IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE CONFUSING BUT BASICALLY, YOU CAN GO VOTE FOR THE STORY BEGINNING ON AUGUST 27. I'M JUST WARNING YOU ALL NOW BECUASE I WANT TO WIN SOMETHING:) BUT TRULY, IT IS AN HONOR THAT SOMEONE ACTUALLY NOMINATED MY STORY. **

**YOU CAN NOMINATE TWBB IN MORE CATERGORIES IF YOU WANT. JUST GO TO THE WEBSITE. **

**THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO'S READING, NEW AND OLD. **

twilightallhumanawards . webs . com

**JOHNNYBOY OUT!**


	20. Chapter 19

Russian Porcelain

BELLA POV

_"Character, to me, is the life's blood of fiction."-Donna Tartt _

All things Twilght realted belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

The phone vibrated, jerking me awake.

I had to peel my face off my slobbered pillow and wiped the spit from my chin.

_Very attractive. _

I searched through my blankets and sheets until I found the phone and picked up, "Hello?"

A burp was the answer I heard, "_Bella, is...is that you?"_

"Yes, Edward."

"_Wha…what are you doing?" _

I had to cover up my mouth so I didn't laugh, "Edward, are you drunk?"

"_No...no, I'm just enjoying a little Russian vodka. Nothing too bad." _

There was screaming and shouting in the background, "Edward, I can barely hear you." I said a little loudly.

"_Okay, hold on."_ There was some shuffling and I heard the flushing of a toilet so I assumed he went into the bathroom, "_Can you hear me? Bella, are you there?"_

"Yes, I'm here. Where are you?" I looked at the clock and it was ten at night here so it must be seven in the morning in Russia, "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"_Please, I haven't gone to bed yet_." He hiccupped.

Edward had been in Russia for five days already. It was now Tuesday night and good thing he was gone because I had midterms this week but my last one was tomorrow. After that, I was off for the rest of the week.

He left on Friday and that seemed like so long ago. I wasn't expecting to go to church on Sunday since Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Edward and Emmett weren't here but Alice woke me up bright and early, dragging me out of the door with her. It was just Rose, Alice, and I in the pew at church and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I hated to say it but I was pathetically missing Edward. What the hell was wrong with me? I've had boyfriends before so why was Edward hitting me so deeply and making it so much harder to be away from him? Thankfully, he called every day, just like he promised he would and I didn't care what time it was, I always picked up.

They would be back tomorrow night so I didn't have to endure these late night calls but I had been doing well so far. I just had to take tests and then I could come back to nap. There was nothing too strenuous to do at school.

"What was all that shouting?" I laid back down on my pillows.

"_Emmett, Jasper, and I are at a fight club." _

"A fight club, like the movie?" I asked, slightly worried.

"_Yeah, Emmett just fought this really big Irish dude and almost got his butt kicked. I'm up next. I just wanted to call you first._" He hiccupped again.

"Edward, I don't know if I like the sound of that."

"_Why? It's fun and I'll hurt like hell tomorrow but I'll sleep it off on the plane." _

"Do you even know how to fight?"

He snorted, "_Oh Bella, if only you knew the real me."_

"What is that supposed to mean?" I laughed.

"_I'll tell you some other time." _

Some part of me screamed to stop being so stupid. What real estate agent went to Russia for "business" and ended up at a fight club? There were several answers going through my head but I didn't know which path was the right one. I was also kind of scared to know the truth. My bliss was hooded with ignorance but I knew that the deeper he and I went into this relationship, the worse the secret was going to be. As of now, I just wanted to enjoy my time.

There were a couple seconds of silence and Edward sighed heavily.

"_Would I be a total pussy if I said that I miss you?" _

"No. Are you sure it's not that vodka speaking?"

"_I thought it might be but it's not. I truly miss you." _

"Awwww, you're getting soft on me."

"_Bella..."_ He warned in a growl.

"I know, I know. I just thought it was cute."

"_I hope no one's recording this." _

"I hope you're taking care of yourself. You sound tired."

"_Because my brothers have me up all night." _

"Any strippers I need to be worried about?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"No, but I jacked off twice in the shower this morning. Would you be freaked out if I said that I imagined you in there with me?"

"_No."_ I sighed heavily and shakily, trying not to slip my hand down my panties.

"_God, I miss you and here I am in a fight club."_ He laughed, "_I'm sure my brothers will be making fun of me later." _

"Just go kick some ass. Do you wear pads?"

"_Nope. No pads, no helmets, no shirts, no gloves. Just boxers. It's more like a cage match." _

"I'm _really_ not liking the sound of this."

"_I'll be fine." _

We talked for another two minutes exactly before I heard Jasper calling him from the other side of the phone.

I didn't want to hang up and I was tempted to throw an 'I love you' in at the end but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I hung up after we said our goodbyes.

There was no doubt in my mind that I loved Edward.

I didn't know what to do with myself because I had never felt like this before. At first, I thought that it was just me being a stupid girl with a mega crush but I had learned that my feelings went deeper than that.

The whole time he had been gone, I realized that I missed him dearly and that scared me. I didn't know what to make of my new feelings and I was terrified. I had never felt like this before. Did he feel the same way? I knew Edward would never admit it and I had a suspicion that he was having the same issue, ironing out the way he felt.

It was just in the way he talked over the phone. There was so much I knew Edward wanted to say but he always stopped himself, like he was worried or shy. I didn't want to push him so I stayed quiet as well.

I thought about asking my mother or even Charlie for advice but I guessed that wouldn't end well. I didn't know a way to tell Charlie that I was dating a twenty-five year old and Renee would just start rambling about things so I didn't say a word about Edward to either of them.

Edward was also acting weird about my parents but I couldn't figure out why. He asked me questions about my dad and I guess it was just the normal boyfriend worries but Edward actually seemed scared that I would tell Charlie about him. He wouldn't say much over the phone so we agreed to talk when he got back.

I laid down under the sheets and went back to sleep.

I woke up as my alarm clock chimed eight in the morning. I got up and just brushed my teeth before hitting the books to get a few hours of studying in.

This was my last midterm before I had the rest of the week off and I made sure to get all the math theories into my head so that I wouldn't forget any. I crammed for three hours before I got out of bed. I threw on a pair of jeans and a simple tee shirt along with a jacket before putting my backpack over my shoulders. I was out of the door with a bottle of water and headed to my test.

On the way, I got a text from Alice telling me to meet her for lunch at the café down the street from my dorm and I replied I would be there.

My test lasted for an hour but I was done about twenty minutes in. It wasn't that bad. I checked it four times before turning my paper in up front.

A weight was lifted off my shoulders as I walked out into the chilly air and took a deep breath.

I had a bounce in my step as I walked towards the café that Alice loved and before I even rounded the corner, my mood fell. Something told me that my lunch wasn't going to be so happy.

I spotted Alice sitting with Rosalie as I opened the door and they were in the back. Alice waved me over happily and I scowled the whole time I walked to the corner and sat down without looking at Angel Face.

"Bella, how was your test?" Alice hugged me.

"Good, I think I got an A."

I peeked a look at Rose who was sipping iced tea in her red blouse and skin tight jeans, sunglasses pushed into her hair.

I hadn't talked to her since last Sunday when I tripped on her shoes and almost made us fall over. She just snarled at me and that was the last time we had any kind of communication.

"Are you done with all your tests?" I asked Alice.

"Yup, finished this morning. We're going out tonight to celebrate."

Rosalie brushed off the comment, taking another sip of her drink.

"I don't think I should go out to a club again." I replied.

"Because you're eighteen?" Rose raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

"No, because the last time I went out, it didn't go so well." I didn't mind holding my tone.

"What is wrong with you two?" Alice chimed in, "I thought you would hit it off but you've been at each other's throats since you met."

Rosalie just shrugged and went back to her drinking. I rolled my eyes and ordered a sandwich.

Lunch was fine for the most part, that was until Alice decided to go to the bathroom. I tried to grab her before she left but she was quick.

I sat there and continued to eat my sandwich without saying a word while Rosalie nibbled at her salad.

"Did you know that I slept with Edward?" She said suddenly after a minute.

I choked on my food and took a big gulp of water, "What the hell?" I rasped out.

"It was a long time ago but yeah." She shrugged, "Emmett doesn't know."

"I knew it. I knew it had to be something like that. Why else would you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you." She wiped her mouth and sat back in her seat.

" From the moment I met you, you've been nothing but a bitch." I whispered so I didn't disturb anyone else.

"Because that's who I am. Look, I don't know you but it's obvious that Edward is...he likes you a lot so I don't expect you to go anywhere soon. That being said, I'm not as mean as everyone says I am."

"So why were you so short with me?"

"I think of Edward as a brother and I've never known him to act the way he is now. You made me suspicious."

"Do I pass your test?" I asked, not that I really cared.

She tilted her head, "So far."

"Why are you so abrasive?"

"You're stepping into a very dangerous world and...I like you, Bella."

"Yeah right"

"I'm serious. I've never really had friends who were girls..."

"I wonder why." I rolled my eyes.

She twitched her lips at me, "Anyway, you and Alice are nice and I know I'm not the warmest person in the world but I needed to see if you were here to stay and not just here for Edward's money."

"I prefer him without it."

She snickered, "I heard you don't like gifts. You can't tell me that you're not turned on by the fact that Edward has a black card." She leaned in.

I couldn't help my smile, "It is kind of hot and...the Saleen is cool."

She laughed and went back to her salad. It was like her facade had fallen in a split second and she was a bubbly cheerleader instead of a cold monster.

I didn't know how to act around her now. I detected the extreme amount of jealousy that was coursing through my body because Edward had been with Rose but then I turned it around. Edward had been with her but was he with her now? He had been with hundreds, thousands of women but was he with them? No.

By the time Alice had come back, Rose and I weren't necessarily best friends but we weren't trying to kill each other. Alice noticed the shift and bounced around for the rest of the meal. Rose paid, even though I fought her on it but she just pulled me out of the café before I could even get my wallet out.

"So, we can go back to my place and take a nap before we go out." Alice hooked her arm in mine, leading me down the street, "Is that okay with you, Rose?"

"Sure, I might need something to wear though." She shrugged.

"I have lots of clothes." Alice replied happily, "I know just what to put you in."

I didn't even bother arguing with her because I knew Alice wouldn't let me or Rosalie wear jeans out anywhere.

"A night without the men" Rose through her hands up in the air and twirled around, looking like a ballerina.

I noticed that she was being really nice, overly nice even. It was like she was trying to throw me off track intentionally.

"I'll meet you guys at Alice's. I have to go print something in the library." I started to break away from the pack.

"Okay, I'll call you to come over later then." Alice bounced off and Rose gave me a head nod, which was more than enough for me.

I walked to the library and printed out some instructions for a paper I had due next week before dragging myself back to my dorm for a much needed nap.

As soon as I stepped out of the elevator on my floor, I smiled when the scent of fragrant flowers hit me in the face. I turned the corner where a deliveryman was dropping them off and was about to leave.

I ran up to him and I must have looked like a mad woman but I didn't care, "Hi, Who are these from?"

"I don't know, lady. I just get the call and drop them off. I actually had to bring the whole thing up here upon special request. Do you know how hard it is to find a parking spot at this time of day?" He stomped past me with a bad attitude.

I shrugged and picked up the massive bunch of light purple flowers with small petals that looked star shaped. I actually had to work to carry them because they were so heavy but I managed to get my door open and set them on my desk.

I plucked the note from the side.

_I figured I should do the normal boyfriend thing and send you some flowers. I'll be back soon._

_-Edward_

_PS. - they're called statices and have fun tonight but not too much. _

I turned on my computer while twirling a flower in front of my nose.

Have fun tonight? Where am I going?

A statice flower was used to say 'I miss you' and I fell more in love with Edward with each passing gesture.

Edward was trying really hard and I had to give him credit. I never thought that he would last this long in a normal relationship. I didn't even know if we were going to make it past the first day but Edward seemed to be different around me. I don't know how to explain it. He was two separate people wrapped into one.

There was the sweet Edward who wouldn't be afraid to show his soft but then there was the other guy who sometimes scared the shit out of me. I didn't know how to classify the Dr. Jekyll part of him but I wanted nothing more than to figure him out. Who was Edward? I couldn't answer that.

I climbed in bed and took a nice nap that I desperately needed. I dreamed of light purple flowers for God knows how long.

There was a pounding on my door and my eyes opened slowly.

The sun had set and the clock said eight. I rolled over and wiped my eyes clean before getting the door where a happy Alice and neutral looking Rosalie were standing with clothes of course.

"I thought you were taking a short rest?" Alice pouted.

"Get over it. I was tired." I moved out of the way so that they could come in.

"You live here?" Rosalie turned her nose up, "Even Alice's apartment is better than this."

"I don't want to hear it. Edward tells me I should knock a wall down to make it bigger every time he comes up here." I huffed and sat in my chair.

"So Edward's been up here more than once?" Alice put the clothes down on the bed and started hanging them up in the closet, which was starting to get rather full.

"Yes but don't ask me what we've been doing." I said before she even started, "Where did you get all those clothes?"

"These are mine. I'll take them out when I go home later but I had to stash them somewhere."

"What is the plan for tonight?" I asked, "And let's keep in mind that one of us is under eighteen."

"It would have been nice to know that when I first met you." Rose sat on the bed and bounced on it a little.

"Would it have made you like me?"

"No, but I don't like being lied to. I knew you were hiding something." She dared me to correct her.

"Anyway..." Alice jumped in, "...we're going to Edward's casino tonight."

"Edward has a casino?" I asked, almost falling out of my chair.

"Four. One here, one in Vegas, one in New Orleans, and one in Atlantic City." Rosalie said.

"Wow." I sighed, not knowing what else to do.

"He set it all up for tonight. We get VIP treatment." Alice was almost about to jumped out of her skin.

I laughed to myself as I remembered Edward's letter.

_Have fun tonight!_

"We can have dinner there and everything's taken care of." Rosalie said and looked at the flowers on my desk, "Emmett never gets me anything like that."

"Edward does it for Bella all the time." Alice smiled at me, "He really does care for you."

"I know." I replied.

"I've never seen him act like this before. He's...tame." Rose shuddered, "It's not like him. I'm used to AssWard but he's becoming normal as normal can be for a Cullen, more mellow I guess."

"He hasn't lost his fire, I can assure you." I thought back to last night's conversation with him on the phone where he told me he was at a fucking fight club. I was still worried about that, "So, what's this casino called?" I asked, getting back on subject.

"Breaking Dawn" Rose answered.

"Why?"

"It closes at the break of dawn." She explained simply.

"I thought casinos were supposed to close at two in Illinois?" Alice asked.

Rose just raised her eyebrow with words.

I knew what she meant.

I had noticed that Edward and the Cullens in general for that matter, didn't really obey common laws.

Edward's driving was evidence of that but I also checked the hunting laws for the state because I had a feeling that something fishy was going on that first Sunday when I heard the gun and then Carlisle came into the office all bloody. There wasn't anything to kill in those woods near the Cullen's house because hunting season began in December.

I wasn't stupid but like I said, I found it better not to ask questions right now. A big Italian family with money coming out of nowhere? Things just didn't add up. I just hopped my thinking was off.

"Don't complain but I got you something stellar to wear tonight." Alice hopped off of the bed, heading towards my closet.

I spent about two hours trying to convince Alice that I didn't need to be dressed in the flimsiest piece of fabric out there. She fought me on it and I surprisingly had Rosalie on my side although she compared me to a streetwalker so I think it was more backhand support than anything else.

After I vetoed many of Alice's suggestions, she just gave up and I was allowed to pick my own outfit.

I chose a one shouldered, two toned, purple dress that was actually kind of tight on me but I figured it would be alright since weren't going anywhere fancy. The dressed stopped a couple of inches above the knee and that was about it. The whole thing was very simple but short and tight enough for Alice to approve.

I did my own makeup as well when Alice was busy getting dressed and decided that light was the way to go. Rosalie actually did my hair in waves and I was slightly worried that she was going to burn me with a curling iron or something but she played nicely.

I sometimes thought that she was bipolar because she would act really nice and then turn without any warning or say something that came out wrong. The thing I liked about her was that she never made excuses for herself. Rosalie knew she was a bitch and didn't try to hide it. While that was extremely off putting, it was also refreshing to not have to deal with the fake girl I thought she was.

"Is everyone ready?" Alice asked when I came out of the bathroom from my final checkup.

"Yep and the car is downstairs." Rose answered, putting the rest of her stuff in her purse. I saw something really shiny as she pulled it out of her wallet.

"What the heck is that?" I sat next to her.

"A VIP card for the casino" She gloated, "It acts like a credit card, you just swipe it for the restaurant, drinks and the games."

This whole thing reminded me of Dave&Busters or Chuck E. Cheese, just more upscale. It was the same concept though.

We walked out of the door after Alice forced me in five inch, platform pumps that I was getting better walking in but they still provided obstacles.

As Rose promised, there was a black town car waiting for us downstairs and a man in a sharp suit held the back door open.

I didn't really know how all of this was planned or who was paying but Rosalie acted like this was all common for her so I just kept my mouth shut.

By the time we left, it was dark and there was a slight nip in the air as we drove down the not so crowded streets.

Alice talked the whole way and I just listened, not really responding but still enjoying the conversation. That was thing the about Alice. You could sit there and still be entertained without saying one word. She was captivating.

We pulled up to an interesting looking building about half an hour later and I didn't really know where we were but the parking lot was filled. I thought that was kind of weird for a Tuesday night.

I thought that there would be a flashing sign or something corny like in casinos I saw on TV but there wasn't one thing announcing its presence.

Alice and I followed Rosalie up to a pair of glass doors with no one around.

"Uh...how are we supposed to get in?" I knocked on the window.

"That's what the VIP card is for." She swiped it on a box and I heard a loud click as the door opened, "Edward is very particular about who he lets in his clubs. Jasper is more of the public host while Edward likes to stay in the shadows."

"That sounds like him." I nodded to myself.

"Cool." Alice bounced past me into a warm lit lobby that looked more like a hotel.

A very flighty woman approached us from nowhere, "Ms. Hale, I have everything ready for you in the restaurant."

"Thank you." Rose replied and we followed the woman into a set of elevators.

Rosalie must have noticed my confusion because she found the need to explain a few things, "This is more like a hotel. The second floor is the restaurant with another one on the tenth, the third floor is a club, and from there on up is the casino with a couple penthouses at the top."

"How many floors are there?" I asked.

"Sixteen." The woman standing next to me replied.

_Real estate agent, my ass!_

The doors dinged on the tenth floor and opened to a jazz styled restaurant with soft candles on the tables and a warm smell wafted through the air. There was a piano player off to the side and about thirty circular tables around the room with giant windows that opened to the night skyline. Everyone seemed to be laughing and having an amazing time. It was very relaxing.

"We always sit in that corner." Rosalie pushed Alice and I towards her normal table that was filling up an entire corner, "We usually need it to seat everyone but tonight, it's just you guys." She slid in.

Menus were in front of us and the pages were filled with things like lobster, steak, crab, caviar and I was almost about to walk out because there was no way in hell I could pay for any of this.

"Uh...I think I can afford water." I didn't even bother looking at my menu.

Rose dug in her purse, "Once again, that's what the card is for. Actually, I'm getting tired of explaining it." She called a waiter over and whispered in his ear before he scurried off.

"I can't believe Edward never told me about this place." I sat back and looked at everything around me.

"Do you always come up here?" Alice asked.

"Only sometimes, especially when they're all away like this. After I get off from work."

"What do you do?"

"I serve as Carlisle's planner, I guess. I'm not his secretary anymore but I know where he's supposed to be, at what time, and with whom at the drop of a dime." She snapped her fingers, "I don't even have to leave the house but sometimes he has charity events and things to go to so I have to make sure he's ready."

"He seems nice." Alice said.

"He is and caring. He basically took me in after my father kicked me out."

I decided not to say anything on the subject.

She was about to say something else but the waiter from before came back with two envelopes, handing one to me and one to Alice.

I opened it up and a silver card, similar to Rosalie's fell out. It was heavy and as thick as a small pamphlet but was only the size of a credit card. My name was typed on it in big letters and that was it.

I looked at Alice's and hers was gold.

"Why is mine different?" I asked.

"That's the under twenty-one card, Ms." The waiter nodded to me, "Mr. Edward requested that you be kept away from all alcoholic beverages. We had to make it special for you and it's the only one."

Alice and Rose laughed at me and just to rub it in my face, ordered two fruity drinks that I bet tasted really good. I sulked with my grape soda like a child.

Dinner was incredible and I was still apprehensive about ordering from the menu so I stuck with a simple pasta dish but it was amazing. I almost wanted to lick my plate when I was done.

When we had our fill of expensive foods, it was time for some fun on the casino floor.

I had no idea what to expect since I had never even been anywhere near a casino but I was just following Rosalie who acted like she came in here every night. She said that everyone usually had a night here once a week.

We got into another elevator that took us up further in the building and stopped on the thirteenth floor that Rosalie explained was the high roller section.

As soon as the doors opened, I thought I had stepped into Las Vegas.

There was red carpet on the floor and the massive room was filled with clanging machines, poker tables, skilled card dealers, and impressive bartenders who were working the crowds. It was well lit and packed.

"Don't these people have to go to work in the morning?" I asked, slightly louder so that Rosalie could hear me.

"Not really." Was her answer and that was all I got.

Business men were in suits, smoking cigars and laughing over card games. I didn't know where to look first since everything was in such a commotion.

Rosalie led us to a corner and we sat at another booth that looked out over the casino.

"Edward owns all of this?" I didn't know what to think.

"He sure does." Rosalie said, "You can go play if you want but no drinking." She pointed a finger at me.

I didn't know why everyone was so caught up on me staying sober all of sudden, it wasn't like I drank much anyway.

I got up from my seat actually kind of happy to be doing something that I'd never done before and went to the only game I knew how to play, blackjack.

I sat on a high stool where two men were about to be dealt cards.

"Is there an age requirement for this game?" I spun around to face the man behind the table.

"Strictly twenty-one, Do you have any chips?" The dealer asked while shuffling.

"Uh...no but I have this card." I held up my silver card that Edward had given me, hopping that my youthfulness was looked over.

The dealer took it and did a thorough examination before handing it back, "Welcome to Breaking Dawn, Ms. Swan and we can forget about the whole age thing." He pulled out a stack of red and white chips from underneath the table and pushed them towards me.

I giddily accepted them without hesitation while the two men looked at me like I was crazy.

I played blackjack for over an hour and actually only lost about one hundred dollars but I won over five hundred. I didn't know if what I was doing could be considered counting cards but numbers just seemed to come easily to me. I could keep track of what had been played and once I got the hang of it, I knew what was already out of the deck so I could judge when to hold and when to hit.

The two men eventually left the table after I kept my winning streak up and the dealer, whose name was ironically Jack, began a lively conversation about his life as a casino host. Alice took a spot next to me and played for a little bit before another game caught her eye.

"I guess it's just me for now." I tapped the table, indicating to hit me with another card.

"You're getting pretty good at this." Jack laughed and flipped a card over, "Another twenty-one."

"Would you believe me if I told you my father tried to teach me this game for years? I just know the basics."

"Please, you're about to buy me a new house."

"What is the most anybody's ever won in here?" I asked, starting a new stack of cards.

Jack thought for a second, "Hmmmmm, about six months ago, Mr. Edward won five million at a high stakes poker game."

I choked on the grape soda I was drinking, "Are you serious?"

"Yeah and he gave us all big fat raises."

"I knew he wasn't all bad under there."

"But he also fired ten people the same night."

"Of course he did." I rolled my eyes.

I felt someone sit next to me, "Mind if I join in?" A deep voice asked.

"No, go ahead." I turned to the man and was hit in the face with a blinding smile.

The man was copper skinned with jet black hair and a pretty impressive build. I would have thought that he was a gym monkey by the way his muscles moved under his light gray suit. He had high cheek bones and deep brown eyes that were kind of glowing under the lights. I guess he was kind of attractive but I had Edward. Any other man would just be plain to me.

"Hi, I'm Jacob." He held out a hand.

"Bella" I shook it.

"So, let's start playing." He unbuttoned his jacket and we continued with the game.

I sat there for about ten minutes and lost a heck of a lot of money because I felt his eyes on me and was starting to get uncomfortable.

I didn't know who this Jacob was but for some reason, I got the feeling that he knew me. He never said anything but it was just weird.

"How long have you been here?" Jacob asked after another ten minutes had gone by. His voice was strong but still youthful like he was a teenager. He did kind of look like a teenager, I guess. Maybe early twenties.

"About an hour and a half" I answered.

"You look kind of young to be in a casino."

"I'm old enough." I accidentally snapped.

He laughed, "Just making an observation. You're a student?"

"No." I lied.

"Do you know the owner of this place? I need to find him and tell him how awesome it is." He looked around.

"Who did you say you were again?" I stopped playing completely because something didn't feel right.

Before he could answer, Rosalie swooped down and put her arm on my shoulder.

"Bella, you shouldn't be hanging around such scum." She said snidely.

"Ms. Hale, always a pleasure." Jacob replied through his teeth with a head nod.

"What are you doing here, Jacob?"

"I have a key." He held up a golden card, similar to Rosalie's but smaller.

"How did you get that?" She was getting frustrated and I was a little scared for this Jacob guy.

"I have my ways. Why don't you introduce me to your new friend?" He bobbed his head in my direction.

"There's no need for that. Are you having fun tonight?"

"Of course. I always do when hanging out with the Cullens."

"I thought you didn't know who owned this casino?" I shot back, definitely picking up the fishiness of this situation.

"I know a few things." Jacob said cryptically.

I was about to say something else but Rose hit my shoulder, silently telling me to shut up.

Jacob and Rosalie had a staring contest that almost made shiver.

"I think it's time for you to go." Rose nodded her head in the corner and I noticed two huge men stalking our way.

"Always so eager to get rid of me?" Jacob stood up, preparing to leave.

"I don't like dogs so I try to stay away from the stench." She almost growled.

"It was nice meeting you, Bella." He stuck his hand out and I shook again.

"You too."

Jacob was gone like fog as he melted into the crowds.

Rosalie called the bodyguard looking men over, "Make sure he leaves and his friends too. I know they're around her somewhere."

"Yes ma'am." They both answer in unison.

"We need to leave." Rose's face fell.

"What do I do with my chips?" I asked stupidly. Who cares about chips?

"That's okay. We'll start an account for you and when you come back, they'll all be there." Jack smiled and slid my chips into a bucket.

"Thank you." I waved at him as Rosalie pulled me from my seat. She grabbed Alice on the way out and we were in the elevators a second later.

"What was all that about?" I asked and leaned against the wall.

"Jacob Black." Rose answered with a groan, "Police."

"Police?"

"Yeah. They think Edward deals in some...questionable things so they like to track him from time to time."

_What the hell had I gotten myself into? _

My father was a fucking police officer and what was Edward doing that he had to have a monitored detail? I had a few suspicions in my head but I needed to think through all of this first.

"You always bring trouble, Bella?" Alice giggled, slightly drunk.

"You have no idea." I said to myself.

I had the next day off thankfully and was able to sleep in until noon, which I needed because we got back to my dorm at two in the morning. The car dropped me off and then took Alice home.

I didn't get a call from Edward but I knew that was because he was on the plane, coming back. It would take him almost a full day to get to the States so I just cleaned up and made sure that I had something to do.

I basically laid in bed and read a new novel I was beginning.

Alice tried to get me to come out but I told her I didn't want to so I started ignoring her calls and texts after the fifth one. She had other friends and I was still trying to recover from last night.

The whole day, theories were going through my mind as to what Edward's actual job was. An answer was screaming at me but I didn't want to believe it. Currently, I was on the track of something like drug cartel but Edward didn't do those kinds of things, right?

I knew he had accesses to drugs although he never used them in front of me. Come to think of it, I don't recall him ever being high around me after that first night but that didn't mean anything. He could be shipping or dealing. Who knows? I just prayed that my suspicions were off because this was not a very good way to start a relationship.

At five that afternoon, I got a text from Edward saying that they had just landed in New York and the jet was about to refuel for the last leg of the trip.

When I asked him why he just didn't call me, he said that his jaw was so swollen from fighting that he couldn't talk.

I nearly reached through the phone and killed him for being so stupid. Didn't he know that kind of stuff was dangerous? I wasn't his mother but I still felt protective over him and I wanted him in one piece when he got home.

At nine, I got a text that said he had just made it back to his apartment and a car was coming to get me...if I wanted to see him.

I jumped out of bed and grabbed a jacket before running downstairs where a black town car was already waiting. I didn't even question it as I threw myself in the back.

It took about fifteen minutes before the driver pulled out in front of Edward's building.

"Thank you." I said and then got out, going inside behind a slow moving lady on the phone.

I was almost to the elevator when I remembered that I needed a key to even go up. I went back to the front desk where an older man was sitting behind a marble counter top.

"Hi, I was wondering if Edward Cullen has left a key for me?" I didn't know what else to say.

"Are you Isabella Swan?" He asked and I nodded, "Here you go." He handed me a square peg that didn't have any teeth on is but would fit perfectly into the elevator.

I went back and hit the button, waiting for it to come down before golden doors opened and I got it. I pushed the peg into the keyhole and did as I remembered Edward doing a couple of weeks ago. I turned and hit the top button at the same time. The doors closed and the elevator jolted upwards.

"Interesting" I flipped the key in my hand as I went up.

When I came to a stop, the elevator opened again and I was in Edward's circular foyer. His door was open and I heard mumbled words coming from the other side.

I knocked lightly on the door, "Hello?" I walked in a little.

Esme popped her head out from around the corner, "Hi, sweetheart. I'm just trying to get Edward to take his medicine. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"You can leave because I'm not taking those damn pills." I heard his voice from the kitchen but it sounded kind of muffled, "You can come in Bella."

I went into the kitchen where Edward was seated on the counter with a bag of frozen peas covering his face.

Esme was holding two pills and tapping her foot.

"I'm not taking those." Edward moved the frozen bag and his entire face was bruised and cut up.

"What happened to you?" I asked quietly, kind of afraid to move closer.

"His stupid self went to a fight club again last night and decided to get involved in a brawl." Esme growled, "Despicable. They get it from their father. Take your medicine, Edward." She pushed the pills towards him.

"No. Those things taste nasty and they make me drowsy." He grumbled like a child.

"You're jet lagged. You're already drowsy." She rationalized.

"I don't want them." He stuck the bag back on his face.

"Okay, fine. You want to get an infection, then be my guest." She picked up her bag off of the counter and gave me a kiss on the cheek, "I'll see you later, Bella."

"Bye." I said as she glided out of the house and the door shut.

"Is she gone?" Edward chuckled.

"She's just trying to help."

"I don't like those things." He set the bag down, "Hello, by the way."

"Hello." I nodded.

The air was filled with awkwardness. I wanted to run up and kiss him so badly but I didn't want to appear over eager so I stood across the island from him while he continued to sit on the counter near the fridge.

"How was your trip?" I asked.

"Good. I got two hundred thousand dollars for winning both of my fights and a truck load of free Smirnoff."

"That sounds promising." I couldn't help but look at his swollen eyes and the cuts on his forehead. He looked like a piece of meat that had been run over on the road but still more beautiful than any male model on the runways, "What is wrong with you? What is the reason for the fighting?" I moved closer to him and took a chance, pushing myself in between his legs.

He trapped me with his shoe covered feet, pulling me closer, "I was bored." Edward whispered against my lips.

"You didn't sell any houses?" I asked, my breathing harsh.

"Just kiss me." He deflected but I caught that he didn't answer my question.

I stood up a little so that I could reach him and our mouths melded together.

I recognized that Edward was hurt so I didn't move too much and tried not to deepen the kiss because I didn't want his jaw falling off or something but I couldn't help my hands as they traveled up from his legs to his stomach and then into his hair. He didn't seem to mind and actually pulled me impossibly closer.

Things were sped up when I let out a full on, whore moan and Edward responded with a growl. I couldn't help myself as I pushed myself against him harder, out lips making soft noises and my fingers permanently imbedded in his hair. His massive hands gripped my hips painfully hard but I wasn't going anywhere.

His tongue masterfully swept the inside of my mouth and wasn't afraid to explore new regions. I let him take over as my mind began to shut down.

We stayed connected for a couple of minutes, our kisses eventually slowing to light pecks.

"I can't stop saying that I missed you." Edward said, "I've never missed a woman in my entire life."

That made me smile, "How flattering."

"I can't help it. What have you done to me, Isabella?" He bent down and kissed my neck, sucking lightly on the skin. His voice was dripping with sex and an Italian accent that made my lower half catch fire, "Mia Bella."

"I didn't realize how much I missed you until right now." I leaned my head back and my neck was on full display as Edward's lips descended on my skin, tasting me with his tongue.

"We might have to stop soon or I won't be able to control myself." He gingerly moved the collar of my shirt to dip his lips on my collarbone, "This marble would look incredible with you on it…naked and open for me."

I was seriously considering just having him bend me over the counter but I was smarter than that. I still needed medical proof that he was clean. I was so sexually frustrated that I was about to combust but I kept my cool so I didn't appear weak.

"I'm taming the beast inside." I wrapped my arms around his neck, trying to mesh us together.

"He's tamed...somewhat." I got another kiss on the neck.

"How was Moscow?"

"Boring." Edward licked and bit my pulse point, driving me crazy.

"Why won't you take your medicine?" I asked when I pulled away a little, trying to breathe again.

He sat back up and rolled his eyes, "Because I don't need medicine. I'm fine."

"You call this fine?" I picked up the frozen bag of peas that had some blood on it.

"I almost killed the other guy." Edward grinned.

"This isn't funny." I replied sternly, "You could get sick. Gangrene or something like that."

"I don't get sick."

I sighed, "Do you have a bathtub?" I asked and traced his neck where I saw another purple mark that went down into his shirt.

"Why, are you horny?" Edward smirked.

"Yes but we need to take care of you first." I started unbuttoning his shirt and his entire chest was covered in bruises along with cuts, "Oh my God."

"Stop worrying. I'm fine." Edward jumped off the counter and I saw the wince as he landed on his feet.

"You are not fine." I pushed him out of the kitchen and up the stairs, "Where's the tub?"

"In the bathroom" He mumbled and began walking on his own into his room.

I sat him on the bed and started to turn away but his hands caught my wrist, bringing me forward into his legs.

"Will just slow down? You're always on the go." Edward chuckled and slipped his hands inside of my shirt, only on the skin of my stomach.

"I'm trying to make sure that you're okay." I bolted my fingers into his hair.

"Well stop worrying about me." He lifted my shirt slightly so that he could place kisses along my stomach and hips.

His wet mouth left a trail of saliva on my skin but it wasn't nasty at all. Everything felt so natural with Edward and I wasn't grossed out when his tongue dived into my belly button.

"How have you been?" He asked as his lips continued to mold themselves on the curves of my waist.

"Okay." I panted and his grip got tighter.

"And how has Little Bella been?"

"Little Bella?"

He answered by running his hand up my jean leg and inching it over my pussy. I couldn't help myself as my hips moved, trying to seek the source of fire.

"My Little Bella." Edward said, almost angrily and ran a finger roughly over the seam of my jeans, in between my legs. My whole body wanted to give up and fall over but I kept my hold on his hair as he continued to kiss my stomach, "Your skin is so sweet."

I didn't know what to say so I gave some kind of noise.

"I bet your so fucking wet." Edward snarled in an animalistic way and pushed harder against my pussy, "So…fucking…wet. I can feel it."

I wasn't embarrassed to admit that I was drenched to the point of Hurricane Katrina levels but what was I going to do about it? There was no way of stopping the Cullen beast from attacking.

His strong yet nimble fingers didn't move anywhere above my waist but he kept a grip on me that would have caused pain if I wasn't so high from his lips and touches.

"We need to stop soon." I said and rolled my hips, totally negating my words.

"Just tell me when, Isabella." I felt the button on my jeans snap and that did it.

I pushed away from him drunkenly and stumbled back a few steps, "Bad, Edward." I scolded like a dog, "You can't take advantage of me."

He smirked, "I didn't. I gave you ample time to stop me. It's not my fault you didn't want to."

"I just need you to get tested." I closed my eyes, bringing myself back to reality.

"First thing on Monday." Edward said, "Now come back over here. I wasn't done with Little Bella."

"No." I shook my head, "I have to get you bathed and cleaned up."

I went into the bathroom and turned on the lights, trying to get as far away from his devil touches as possible. I saw the shower that I was already familiar with but on the other side of the cavernous area was a marbled tub that was sunken into the floor and looked more like a Jacuzzi.

I went to his stash of bath supplies and pulled out the ocean spray that I knew he liked before taking off my jacket. I set it on the counter and started messing with the faucets of the tub, trying to get them hot but not burning. I poured some of the body wash into the tub and it frothed up slightly.

"I hope you're undressing." I said over the running water.

"I bet you'd like that." Edward was suddenly behind me.

"Don't push your luck. You still haven't been to the doctor." I replied without moving.

"I'm working on it but that doesn't mean there aren't other things we can do." He whispered into my ear, his breath doing strange things to my body, "Remember…that night in your dorm?"

I remembered the two, fuck awesome orgasms that I was still having trouble getting over. I remembered the way his tongue didn't hesitate to pound into me. I remembered the way his hands took control of my legs and spread them to an almost painful limit.

_Sweet Jesus. _

That was a good night.

I shuddered and then closed my eyes, "No, you're hurt and you need to rest." I turned around.

Edward was in nothing but navy blue, form fitting, silk boxers and his whole body looked repulsively beaten. It almost brought me to tears to see him so battered but then I got mad, remembering that he did this to himself.

"Don't start." He said before I could even open my mouth.

"I'm just wondering why you would do this to yourself."

He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed and a sudden gleam in his eye, "So, you're worried about me?"

"What would you do if I said yes?" I sat on the tub ledge.

"I would say that I don't need you to be worried. I can take care of myself."

"Really? Is this taking care of yourself?" I pointed to his body, "That's a damn fine job you're doing."

"Bella, don't get mad at me. I said I don't need help and yet you insist on taking care of me."

"Is that why you're trying to distract me with sex?" It all clicked in my mind, "You don't want me taking care of you."

"I don't need your help and I don't need you to worry about me." He nodded to himself.

"I have a right to be worried when you call me and say that you're in a fight club. Does that not set of danger bells in your head?"

"You need to learn how to shut those up. I'm not going to stop doing these things because you're here." He said in an almost condescending way.

"What if you got seriously hurt?"

"Then I would deal with it but I'm not so drop it."

"Fine." I went to the counter to retrieve my jacket, making sure to brush a particularly nasty bruise on his side.

I started to stomp down the stairs and almost made it to the door when I was spun around, "Look, Bella, I don't want to fight but you have to understand that I'm not a child." Edward's eyes were hard with determination.

"I realize that and I'm not your mother but when you look like you've been beaten to death, I think it calls for a little attention." I snatched my hand out of his.

Edward pulled at his hair, looking extremely beautiful in his boxers, "I'm not used to this. I do everything on my own."

"Well not anymore. You can't even lift your arms up without hurting. This isn't funny and you need to stop being so stupid."

"Come back upstairs." He demanded.

"No, I'm not going to stay here when you're acting like such a jackass." I started my walk back towards the door.

"Okay." He almost shouted but his face was set in a hard scowl, "I heard you and I'm trying."

"No you're not. You think you can do everything by yourself but you can't."

"I don't need a nanny."

"Stop acting like such a baby. Men need help to."

"Not this man." I heard Edward grumble before he started trudging back upstairs.

With a gratified grin, I followed him because I knew I had won this battle.

I went back into the bathroom and set my jacket down. Edward was leaned against the counter with his arms crossed in front of his marble chest.

"Thank you." He snapped.

"You're welcome." I went to turn off the faucets that had been left running in our small debacle.

We stayed silent as I added more wash to the tub and tested the water.

"I didn't mean to go all macho man on you back there."Edward said lowly.

"I just don't want you to go off and then come back in a coffin one day." I replied truthfully, leaving my spot on the tub and coming to stand in front of him.

"We all die, Bella." He replied morosely like he wasn't afraid of it.

"I know but you can't just shut me out when I'm trying to help you."

He wrapped his arms around my body, pulling me closer to him, "I'm still learning."

"Why are we talking about this?" I shook my head, "You just got home. We should be celebrating."

"I didn't go off to war." Edward kissed my neck again, right below my ear.

"It felt like ages." I tangled my hands in his hair.

"I know how we can celebrate." He mumbled against my skin.

"How's that?"

"You can get in this tub with me?"

I was about to just give up but seeing the marks on him made me want to vomit. I knew Edward wasn't ready to do anything too sexual and I would have killed myself if I was cause of anymore pain.

"Edward, get in the bath." I kissed him and he sighed.

"At least I tried." He took off his boxers easily and folded them on the counter. His stone hard ass and thighs were unabashedly shown off to the world. I had to look away so that I didn't jump him and stared at his folded, silk underwear on the counter for a couple of seconds. That tag said Armani.

I had to control myself as he stepped into the soapy water because my libido was starting to take over.

It would have taken a second, maybe to get in there and have a real coming home celebration but I saw Edward's face contort in pain as he dipped into the hot water. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was take care of him.

He settled into the tub and leaned back against the marble when he was situated, "Shit this feels good."

"I told you." I pushed off of the counter.

"Can you hand me that washcloth under the sink?" He said with his eyes closed.

I got the washcloth and went to go sit back on the edge of the tub.

I dipped it in the water and began lightly washing his chest.

"You don't have to do that." Edward stopped me, trying to take the fabric from my hands.

"I want to. Just relax." I pushed him back against the marble and he went deeper into the water.

"I haven't taken a bath in years." He sighed.

"Especially not with a hot young nurse" I ran water over his muscled, bruised arm.

"Bella, I'm naked under here and it would take nothing for me to pull you in this water with me." He opened an eye, raising his brow.

"Don't you dare" I continued to wash his skin that looked like it had been through hell, "What would be the motivation for fight clubs?"

"Testosterone builds up." He answered, "It's not healthy."

"Well then go for a run."

"Fighting is more fun. At least I'm not as bad as Jasper. His whole left hand is in a sling."

"I bet Alice is freaking out."

"I can hear her now." Edward laughed but then stopped when the pain was too much.

"How does Emmett look?" I asked, washing his face gently.

"Not a scratch on him. He just bulldozes his way to a win. Cheater."

I had to stop talking about this obsession the Cullen men had for fighting because it was making me mad.

_Stupid men!_

I continued to wash Edward's body. His arms, his chest, his face, but I never dipped below the water unless it was to soak the cloth. The whole time, he stayed silent with his eyes closed. I thought he was sleeping but he would mumble sometimes when I ran over his pecs with warm water.

After about half an hour, I started moving towards his stomach.

I had to roll up my sleeves so that they didn't get wet and traced each muscle of his abdomen with my hand. I felt them contract under my touch and decided to take my exploring further south.

I gently and slowly inched lower, running over the V of his hips and his powerful upper thigh.

"Bella..." He warned.

"Testosterone builds up. It's not healthy." I repeated and found the promise land.

Edward hissed through his teeth as I wrapped my fingers around his already hardened cock.

The soap and water provided for a slick surface as I started slowly moving my hand from base to tip in one fluid motion. I still couldn't believe what a monster cock he had and was tempted to take a picture before sending it in to some medical journal.

The girth and thickness was almost physically impossible but I kept as much of a hold on him as I could.

My fingers danced along the veins of his dick and as I reach the head, I could feel his almost steel member pulse against my palm.

"Shit…" Edward breathed with his eyes still closed.

My ministrations kept at a constant pace, slow and steady, as Edward's breathing came harsher.

"Jesus..." He arched into my hand and I gripped tighter, making sure I had a firm hold.

Just by touching him, I could tell that he had everything pent up inside. He felt so tense and I wanted to help him so I didn't stop moving my hand.

I kept a close eye on his face so that I could determine if I was hurting him or not but his head leaned back and from the guttural sounds he was making, I think pain was the last thing on Edward's mind.

The main thing I learned from this experience was the exceptional control my Edward had. There were some seconds when I thought he was going to lose it but Edward always brought himself back, prolonging his torture.

It took twenty-seven minutes exactly, I counted, before Edward exploded into my hand with a growl that sounded more like a wild animal than a man.

He was panting, his eyes still closed and I relinquished his cock after he calmed down.

I had the disgusting idea to lick my hand clean of his seed and found that I was a little turned on by that.

_Stop it, Bella!_

"That was the best handjob I've ever had." Edward opened his eyes, which were glowing.

I felt the heat of my blush, "You're not the only one who can dole out painful punishment."

"I like to be punished." The words dripped from his mouth softly, almost innocently.

"Sit up so I can get your back." I said after I took a deep breath to regain my head.

He did as I said and leaned over.

Just like his front, Edward's back was covered in bruises but as I continued to wipe over them, my eyes were drawn to the picture etched over his right shoulder blade.

The tattoo was medium sized and extremely stereotypical in that Italian, macho sort of way. The country of Italy created a large cross with a banner going horizontally, waving across the center. The colors were red, green and white with the phrase _La Forza della Tigre, _written in beautiful script.

The tattoo wasn't really that big but it covered a large portion of his shoulder.

I ran my fingers over each letter, tracing the cursive with my nail, "How come I've never seen this?"

"We were kind of preoccupied the last time I was naked." He chuckled.

"Yeah" I agreed and swept the washcloth over his tattoo, his skin glistening from the water, "What does it mean?"

"The strength of the tiger. It's from an old Italian fable that says the tiger is the king of the jungle, not the lion."

"Why?"

"Because the tiger has the power and the strength, but also the cunning and intellect. He can outsmart the lion at anything. It takes more than just brute force to be the leader."

I leaned forward and kissed his shoulder lightly and his body shook where my lips made contact.

"This is very sexy." I said, not meaning to.

"Thank you." Edward snickered and then turned his head to capture my lips in his.

This time, sore body be damned.

He licked my bottom lip, asking for entrance and I granted it to him easily while I kept my hands on the edge of the tub. Our tongues ate each other up but not in a sloppy way. It was all very sensual and clean.

I tilted towards him, my body almost touching the water as our kissed grew more frantic with need and enthusiasm. It was hot. That was the only word I could use because I felt like my entire body was on fire.

"We have to stop." Edward turned his head away from me, "I can't do this."

"Can't do what?"

"Bella, I'm sitting here naked after you just jacked me off and I'm already hard again. I want to pull you in here, spread your legs over my dick and ram you down so hard that I pierce your spleen." Edward said quickly, frighteningly, passionately.

I pulled back when I couldn't breathe any longer and just stared at Edward's face, moving some hair out of his eyes.

"I can't control the animal in me when you're like this." He panted.

"But I'm not doing anything." I shrugged, "I'm not trying to be sexy."

"And that's just it." He leaned back, "You don't even know how gorgeous you are."

"Sorry?"

"Don't even start with the apologies." He grinned at me, closed his eyes and let out a deep breath of calm, "I think I need to get out now." Edward said.

"Are you all pruny?" I laughed.

"Yes and if you're still sitting here when I open my eyes, I'll fuck you so hard you won't remember your name."

"Wow." I whispered, taken aback by his strong words that made me want to want to scream at my overly critical subconscious. Why couldn't I be a slut and just have sex with him again?

_No! Be better, Bella. _

I convinced Edward to stay in the water for another half an hour but he got really sleepy so I helped him dry off before going into his drawers for underwear. Everything was so neat that I didn't want to accidentally mess something up, so I just grabbed what was on top and he slid the navy blue, silk boxers over his legs.

I quickly went downstairs for Edward's medicine because he was going to take it…whether he knew it or not.

"Just put them in your mouth and then drink the water." I demanded.

He was under the covers and I sat on the edge of the bed.

"No, Bella. I don't need that stuff." He pushed my hand away.

"Edward, after you take these two measly pills, then you can go to bed. You're acting like a child."

"I am not." He defended.

I was through arguing with him after ten minutes so I set them on the nightstand and got off the bed, grabbing my jacket on the way to the door.

"Where are you going?" Edward sat up in bed, wincing from the quick movements.

"I'm going back home. It's past midnight."

"I...I thought you wanted to stay here." He said shyly.

"Are you offering?" I stood near the door.

"Yes." He whispered, "For the first time in my life…I want a woman to stay." He said in one breath.

"Take your pills and I'll stay." I didn't move even though I wanted to jump into his bed.

Edward grumbled obscenities as he reached for the pills and shoved them in his mouth, swallowing the whole glass of water in one gulp, "There, happy!" He laid back down.

"Extremely. I don't have anything to wear so..."

"Bra and panties is fine." He chuckled.

I praised the underwear Gods that I had put on a non-embarrassing pair after my shower this morning.

After I was in nothing more than my skivvies, I crawled into bed and Edward pulled me closer to his body.

"This is the second time you've slept in here." He said into my hair.

"I promise not to leave this time." I replied with a hint of shame.

We were knocked out before the hour was up.

I stayed at Edward's house for the rest of the week and even the weekend, four days in total.

A bad storm had descended on Chicago, causing rain and even hail to come down so everyone was stuck. I could have gone home if I wanted to but Edward didn't say anything the next night when it was time for bed or the next night or the next night.

It was strange to be sleeping with him without sleeping with him. Aside from heavy petting in the shower, nothing was sexual about our stay together. He didn't even try to push the subject and I was very impressed.

We stayed in bed all day, ordered food at night, watched movies and I finally heard Edward play the piano.

I think he was nervous or even bashful to let his skill come out but I could have sworn that he was a concert pianist because his fingers flew across the keys without one mistake. I made him sit at the piano the whole day on Thursday so that I could hear him play and he even tried to teach me but I didn't get past a few notes.

The whole time we were holed up in his apartment, he ignored his phone and actually scowled when he saw his father's name on the screen. I suspected that it had something to do with me but I wasn't going to bring that up.

Edward and I talked. That's basically all we did for four days. His old, hard self was turned into a teenager as we learned about each other. We were relaxed, unrushed, and best of all, alone.

I fell more in love with him over my stay.

Edward asked me questions about my family and seemed fascinated with Charlie. I told him about my dad and what he did. All the while, I was trying to search Edward's face for any sign that police scared him or something of that nature but there was nothing. Either he was a good actor or my train of thinking was completely off.

Edward got me some gifts from Russia, which I found very sweet although he kept me away from the Smirnoff.

"It's called a Matryoshka doll." Edward explained as he gently laid a figure in my hand.

It was Friday, our second day in captivity. We were tangled in his sheets, him nursing a bottle of vodka and me with my grape soda.

"This is so beautiful." I gently rolled the doll around in my hands. It was small and plump with porcelain skin.

"You have to be careful when you pull them apart because they might beak but there are four in there." He pulled the top off of the first one and another head popped up.

I couldn't help but laugh, "I didn't think these things really existed."

He looked at me through long eyelashes that I was almost jealous of, "Does it remind you of anyone?"

The doll had flowing, wavy brown hair and big, chocolate, doe eyes. I saw the resemblance immediately.

"It's me!" I shouted.

He laughed, "I had them hand paint it from a picture I had in my wallet. I hope that doesn't freak you out."

"No, it's incredible." I lifted myself up to give him a kiss of thanks.

The whole time we were locked away, I slept in one of his undershirts and a pair of silk boxers when night came although we would sometimes talk to each other well into the morning hours. I wanted to know everything about Edward but he was very enigmatic. I got a few things out of him but we mostly talked about me and my family.

I thanked him for my night at the casino and we talked a lot about his work over there but I decided to keep the police meeting thing to myself. I didn't think he would be too happy that some officer had come to talk to me.

I remembered Esme saying something about a dinner on Saturday with the family but Edward explained that it wasn't mandatory like Sunday dinner was so we stayed in that night also.

On Sunday, I was woken up early and dressed nicely in clothes that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Sunday was of course church and I finally got to see everyone after what felt like years.

As I sat in the pew next to Edward, I couldn't help but look behind me at the young boy who had black hair and bright, almost shimmering blue eyes. He was taller than me but hidden and very shy. He was introduced as Alec and had a slight accent that I couldn't place while speaking perfect English at the same time.

Edward explained to me that Carlisle "found" Alec and no questions were asked as to why he was here. I don't know how they got him into the country or if everything was legal but the alarm bells were going off again.

Alec was strange in that he didn't really talk to anyone who wasn't Carlile or Esme, almost as if he was afraid. He was skinny to the point of sickly but he smiled a lot so I figured he would be okay. Edward told me that his parents had adopted Jasper. I guessed that was the same route they were going to take with Alec.

After church, we made a trip to Esme's father's grave. I didn't know if I should be there because it seemed really personal but she insisted that I come to help change the flowers.

That was the first time I had seen Carlisle in about two weeks and he was still the same cold, if not more so, distant man I had remembered. He didn't talk to me but nodded his head in greeting in church. Even Jasper and Emmett were slightly isolated and I didn't know why but I just brushed it off. I was done trying to impress them. I had Esme and Edward on my side so everyone else could go to hell.

After dinner that night at the Cullens', Edward drove me back to my dorm. I left the Saleen after a half an hour kiss that messed up both our clothes and hair. I stumbled up to my room and basically passed out.

All too soon, Monday came and it was time for another week to begin.

I got up, showered and was ready to go in half an hour before going downstairs to eat. Alice was sleeping in this morning so she didn't join me for breakfast but said she would for lunch.

I walked lazily to my math class, not wanting to really go but I convinced myself to just so that I could get the score back on my test.

I sat in my normal seat without really paying attention and class began.

Fifteen minutes in, I was bored and texting Edward. We didn't really talk about much but he told me he had to go when class was about halfway through.

I stuffed my phone back in my bag and sighed.

"Is this seat taken?" A deep voice said from next to me.

"Uh...no" I moved my stuff so that he could sit down.

I looked at him and he reminded me of someone but I couldn't remember who. He had dark brown, almost black hair that was spiky and a caramel colored skin and I could feel the warmth coming off of him. He looked older than me but not by much.

"Do you have a pencil?" He leaned over to me while unpacking his stuff.

"Sure." I gave him one from my backpack.

"Thanks." He flashed a smile and he looked almost exactly like that guy in the casino.

_What was his name...? _

Jacob. That was who he looked like but very different at the same time.

We sat in silence for the majority of class, not listening.

"Is this professor always this boring?" The new guy asked me quietly.

"For the most part. His monotone puts me to sleep every time." I replied dryly.

"I can't suffer through the rest of the semester like this." He chuckled.

"Are you a transfer?"

"Yeah, I just moved here from the University of Washington."

"I'm from Washington." I said, maybe a little too loudly but he was the first person I had met from my home state.

"Really, where?" He smiled happily.

"Forks. You've probably never heard of it because it's small..."

"No, I have. It's right near Port Angeles and La Push?"

"Yeah. Wow, small world." I sat back in my seat.

"My parents used to take us to La Push all the time when my brothers and I were little."

"But you're not from there?"

"No, we're from Seattle." He nodded, "This is so cool. What are the chances that the person I sit next to on my first day of class would be from my state?"

"Bella Swan." I held out my hand for him.

"Seth Wolf." He shook.

We went back to listening to the professor but as usual, I wasn't really paying attention.

* * *

**HOLY UNDERCOVER BATMAN**

**I PLANNED IT ALL TO BE A LEAD UP TO THE END. DID I DISAPOINT?**

**SO…JACOB'S PLAN IS COMING INTO PLAY. THAT SON OF A BITCH AND YES, SETH WOLF= SETH CLEARWATER**

**BEFORE WE EVEN START SPECULATING AS TO HOW STUPID THIS IDEA IS BECAUSE EDWARD WILL KNOW, LET'S REMIND OURSELVES THAT BELLA HAS NO IDEA WHO ANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE AND IT'S NOT LIKE SHE'S GOING TO BE SPILLING HER GUTS TO EDWARD ABOUT EVERYTHING AT SCHOOL OR THE NEW CLASSMATE SHE MET. SO FOR NOW…EVERYTHING IS VERY HUSH, HUSH.**

**THIS STORY IS JUST GETTING STARTED.**

**GO VISIT THE BLOG FOR MORE RAMBLINGS TONIGHT AND DON'T FORGET THE FORUM ON TWILIGHTED. THOSE PEOPLE OVER THERE ARE INSANE ABOUT THIS STORY...IN A GOOD WAY. :)**


	21. Chapter 20

Blood Oath

EDWARD POV

_"The ideal life is in our blood and never will be still." - Phillips Brooks_

All things relationed to Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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A bullet flew past my ear and almost took a big chunk of hair with it near my temple.

I spun around and glared at the three bodies behind me.

"Goddamn it, Emmett!" I checked to make sure no hair was missing, "You did that on purpose."

"It was the kid." Emmett pointed at Alec whose hands were shaking around a Taurus Millennium series PT145 pistol.

"I…I…" He stuttered and looked at me with pitiful eyes.

Emmett and Jasper stalked off in the forest, trying to shoot other targets, leaving Alec and I alone.

Alec dropped the gun on the forest floor and just stood there, "I'm sorry." He said quietly.

I sighed and went to pick up the pistol, "Hey, don't say that unless you have to. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I almost killed you."

"It takes more than a little bullet to stop me." I gave him a warm smile that I didn't even know I had in me.

We had been back from Russia for a week and things were just starting to get back to normal….or as normal as it ever had been.

I got the best welcome home present I could have imagined by just spending four days alone with Bella in my penthouse.

I never thought that I would enjoy time with a woman without fucking her but Bella always surprised me. From the second she walked in the door, I was drawn to her and I think I took my first real breath since I had left for Moscow.

That was weird.

I hated that I was thinking and saying all this cheesy romantic shit but I couldn't help it with her. As strange as it sounds, she made me feel okay with myself and regular words didn't describe how I felt about our time together. It was celestial and we could have been the only two people on this earth. I wouldn't have even known if a war had erupted right outside of my door. If it didn't involve Bella, I didn't care.

I still had work to do and I made sure to keep myself focused so that my father didn't jump down my throat more than he already was but really, I didn't give a fuck. I wasn't going to separate myself from Bella just because we had all the odds working against us. I was stronger than that and I have always liked a challenge so this wasn't going to beat me.

That being said, I was kind of scared shitless.

Bella's father was a cop, that I knew but I kept my cool while in Bella's presence. I didn't know what the hell to do with myself because I wanted her but our situation was providing issues. I kept up a cool façade so that Bella didn't get suspicious because it would only set off alarms in her head if I asked a thousand questions about her father.

From what I got, she hadn't talked with him about me. I heaved a huge sigh of relief when she told me that she didn't plan to tell Charlie anything about us for awhile but I also had a sneaking suspicion that Bella knew more than she was letting on.

It was like she wanted to ask questions and sometimes would but she never asked what was truly on her mind. I could tell. To be honest, I didn't know what I was going to do if Bella slipped up and accidently said something even related to the word 'Cullen'.

Her father would know for sure the type of trash she was hanging out with. I couldn't take that chance so I kept my cool and started acting more "ordinary" around Bella. Everyone was because I refused to stop seeing her and even though I was putting my family in danger, I couldn't just drop Bella. I wouldn't.

My mother was the only supportive one although my brothers thought I was completely badass for dating a cop's daughter. They would be slightly distant towards her because they were afraid of saying something that would give us away but they were really taken with Bella.

Carlisle was of course the same jackass he had always been. His demeanor towards me hadn't changed. We talked more often now because we had business to deal with but if it didn't have anything to do with work; I barely said one word to him. I was over trying to convince my father that I was a grown man.

In my quest to have both an regular as well as an atrocious life, I made sure to never change myself and I think Bella was okay with that. She said that she didn't want me to change, for which I was thankful because I was trying my hardest but it would take time.

I could already tell that I wasn't as callous as before and that slightly worried me. In my line of work, I was looked at as a cold man and that was good but with Bella, I didn't feel the need to put up a front. I could be Edward Cullen, the twenty-five year old real estate agent. Most of that was a lie but I still didn't have to be a monster towards Bella. I was getting better at walking the line between my two characters.

Carlisle was still trying to convince me that I was in a bad situation, which I knew but I could make my own decisions. If I wanted to be with Bella then I would be.

As of now, the people in my family had tried to get off my case about her because I wasn't really listening anymore so the focus shifted to the newest member of the clan.

Alec fought us tooth and nail to leave Russia.

The day Carlisle brought him back, he was probably the most emaciated human specimen I had ever seen. Of course, my parents thought it was their job to care for him but he was reluctant. Alec actually ran off that first night and Esme sent us out to find him when he didn't come back the next morning.

Emmett found Alec trying to whore himself out for money to some rich business man on a side street. We had to drag him back to the house and the whole time, he was screaming that he had to work for Albert, he had to bring money back to Albert, had to do things for Albert. I don't think he realized that his former master was never coming back. It was sickening and disgusting but I suddenly saw why my parents did what they did and somewhat understood why they wanted to help Alec.

He was broken beyond belief and it hurt to see someone so deflated. Alec literally hated life for what it had thrown at him. He was beaten, bruised and his mental health was worse than his physical. He would shake whenever we touched him and on the last night of our stay in Moscow, I came into the kitchen for a glass of water and heard him scrubbing the toilet in the downstairs bathroom like it was expected of him.

Over the past couple of days or so, he had improved considerably.

Alec actually warmed up to Carlisle and Esme once he knew that they weren't going to hurt him. Getting him on the plane was a different story and we had to pump him full of tranquilizers because he was screeching to stay. He had no family, no money, no life and my parents weren't going to let him suffer anymore. They took it upon themselves to care for the boy. No one had any objections.

Alec didn't know what to do with himself when we brought him home. Mrs. Cope and Jerry had set up a room for him next to my old one. Esme said that he was adjusting but it was taking time. The biggest thing right now was getting him to eat.

Alec looked healthier but still had a long way to go. He was bathed, his hair was clean, was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt, looking like a normal fourteen year old.

We were currently in the forest near the house, trying to do a little shooting practice.

"You don't have to be scared of us." I said in almost a fatherly way that scared me, "First rule of shooting, don't drop a gun that's just been fired." I handed it back to him.

"I don't want it." Alec shook his head and tried to push it back towards me.

"Take the gun." I replied and put the pistol in his hands, wrapping his fingers around the handle, "You see that mark on the tree?" I pointed in the distance.

"Yes." He answered.

I stood behind him and lifted his arm, "Steady the gun and don't take your eyes off of that mark. Take a deep breath…" We both did, "…hold it in and shoot." I pressed his finger down and the bullet ripped through the bark of the tree.

Alec trembled from the kickback and dropped his arm but not the pistol, "Don't drop the gun." I heard him mutter to himself.

"You'll get it." I sighed, "You've never shot before?"

He shook his head, "I just get shot at."

That broke what little of a heart I had and I really did feel for the kid.

"Can you teach me how to be better?" Alec asked shyly.

I handed him my Eagle, which he almost crumbled under the weight of, "When you can hold that up straight, come and find me."

I never let anyone touch my Eagle but I didn't feel strange at all letting Alec hold it and that surprised me. Good thing I had two more at home but still. It was the principal of the matter.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked on the path back towards the house. I chanced a glance back and saw Alec trying to lift the gun but I knew it would take him a very long time to have the muscle mass to hold that thing up. Even my arm got sore after awhile.

I kicked a rock on the ground as I made my way back to the house. I checked my watch and groaned when I realized that I still had two hours before I could go get Bella.

I was almost at the house when I smelled my father's signature cologne as it caught the wind. I lifted my head and saw him standing there.

I changed my position when I noticed that we were standing identically.

"How's Alec doing?" He asked in his regular father voice.

"He's trying to hold up an Eagle. I told him to find me when he did."

Carlisle breathed a laugh, "It took you a year and then you came to me, so excited that you could do it."

"Only because Emmett took me to the gym for six months" I remembered.

"You were a natural though." He nodded, "You put three bullets through Mercucio when you were thirteen. I was highly impressed. Your first kill, you remember that?"

"Barely, there have been so many since then."

We stood silently but not awkwardly for a couple of minutes.

"Come take a walk with me." He suggested and started walking down another path that led towards the lake.

I followed and the fall leaves crunched under our shoes.

"Your mother and I are going to adopt Alec." Carlisle said as we went down the lane.

"I figured. Did you try to find his family?"

"No, he doesn't remember anything since he was taken so young and he doesn't have a last name so there's no way to know anything. He doesn't even know where he's from."

"Quite a different story from Jasper"

"I saw the same broken boys when I looked at the both of them. There are some times when I can't help myself. Alec pulled me in…just like Jasper did. I love him like a son already."

"You have a heart when you want one."

He breathed through his nose, "I know and that's why I'm here to apologize."

"Really?" I stopped walking. I had never heard my father apologize to anyone, especially me.

"Yes, my behavior towards Bella was completely unacceptable and I'm…sorry."

"I don't think I heard you." I joked.

"I'm sorry, Edward." He said slowly, "Against my better judgment, I'm going to back off from you and Bella."

"What made you change your mind?"

"Your mother" He answered simply, "I might be a mob boss but she is the family boss and she allows me to see things from a different perspective."

"Well thank you."

"She reminded me that sometimes…the road to love isn't always easy. I can still remember fighting for Esme and I don't want you to go through the same thing."

"Why don't you like Bella? She's the sweetest girl I've ever met and you just treat her like trash." I noticed that I didn't cringe at the word 'sweetest'.

"She's the first girl you've ever brought home and the first girl I've seen you with continuously for more than a week. I don't hate her, I like her but I have to be able to trust her."

"She's not a threat."

"Her father is a cop. That's a threat and you need to make damn sure that you're in this for the long haul because things will get messy. I know you and Bella just started whatever this is you have going on but if it does get serious, I want you to weigh the options."

Little did he know, things with Bella and I were already serious.

"That's just it, I have." I ran a hand through my hair, "She's worth it and I don't know how to explain it. Bella is just good." I said minimally.

"I know and it's called love Edward." My father grinned at me, "You're maturing and I see the same thing in you that I saw in myself at your age."

"I'm not in love with her."

"How do you know? You're too young to realize it."

_Did I love Bella? _

I felt for her but what was love anyway? That was an emotion I had never felt except for my family so I didn't know what it was supposed to be. The more I thought about it, the sadder my life became in my eyes.

I had never been in love. Not first love, not heartbreaking love, nothing. I was pathetic.

"In any case, I'm going to try to stop being such a jackass." Carlisle said finally, "Bella deserves a chance."

"You'll like her. She's feisty like you." I chuckled.

"I just don't want you to get hurt if this doesn't end up how you want it to. Her father is a cop, he's probably raised her to follow the law and we're the farthest thing from angels in this world."

"Should I tell her?"

"Absolutely not. I'll give Bella a chance but I'm not risking that she will destroy everything I've worked for. She doesn't need to know anything." Carlisle said sternly.

"I know." I hung my head, ashamed that I would even consider bringing Bella into this world.

I wanted to tell her but I couldn't. This could provide a serious problem in the end but I was going to have to take that chance. Plus, Bella was innocent and she was too good to be hanging around with trash like me or my family. She needed to get as far away from me as possible but I didn't know how to make her leave.

"Just be careful, Edward."

I nodded and kept walking, "So, how are you going to pull off an adoption out of thin air?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Carlisle laughed, "I have Jenks working on it. Everything should be ready to go by tomorrow. Your mother is already threatening to knit Alec a sweater."

"Have you talked to him about this? Does he know what it means to have our last name?"

"I'll explain things tonight and he can make a decision for himself. If he chooses to run then I'll be okay with that but at least I know that I tried."

"You're a very gracious man."

"I try but Alec is a very broken boy. He's going to need brothers when I'm away on business or…in the end, when I'm not around anymore."

I knew it was always a possibility that my father would die by the hands of one of his adversaries but I never took it seriously. In my mind, Carlisle was going to live to a ripe old age of one hundred and sixty or some outrageous number like that. My father was just that kind of man who you could never see dying young.

"He's a good kid." I shrugged, "I don't have a problem with him."

"How does it feel to not be the youngest anymore?"

"I've never felt like the youngest." I thought back in all my years and found that everyone had always treated me as if I were older.

"True." My father agreed.

Carlisle and I made a loop around the house, arriving at the back door half an hour later. By the time I checked my watch again, it was time to go pick up Bella. I didn't have any plans for tonight but whatever she wanted to do, I was fine with.

I decided to drive the BMW today because I had a sneaking suspicion that the Saleen was being tailed and I knew it was too conspicuous. I had only seen one other on the roads of Chicago and it belonged to some rich banker who had loans up to his neck. I had only seen it once but my Saleen was better looking anyway.

The BMW drove smoothly towards Chicago and I kept an eye out of the rearview mirror, trying to find that tail I could sense.

Just as I hit the city limits, a dirty white car came into view and I could see the fucking goonies as they tried to maneuver around slower cars to up with me.

"Amateurs" I shook my head and just sped up, leaving the tail behind.

I made it to Bella's dorm in record time and she was sitting on "our" bench reading a book.

I spotted the muscular man across the street whose name was Roger, I think, I couldn't be sure but he was one of my father's bodyguards who I had hired to watch Bella. He was to stay silent and never approach her because I knew she would kill me if she found out I had someone watching her but I was getting very antsy.

It was more of a restless feeling that came from paranoia. People of the underground were going to start putting two and two together shortly. I was always around Bella and it was obvious that I cared about her so what would happen if Aro got a hold of that information? It wouldn't be pretty. I needed to know that Bella was safe.

She lifted up her head when she heard the car and a smile broke out on her beautiful face. I couldn't help but smile as well as Bella bounced over.

"Hello, show off." Bella hopped in the car, "Nice set of wheels."

"I had to bring the best." I drove off easily but slowly because of all the traffic.

"I don't get a kiss?" She leaned over.

"People are watching." I mumbled as I saw the kids trying to admire the car.

"So…are you ashamed of me?" Bella teased.

I sucked up my pride and pecked her lightly on the lips.

"Awwww, I think you're blushing." She sat back in her seat.

"Bella, stop it. I just think you're doing this to embarrass me."

"Okay, okay, I'll stop." She giggled, "Where are we going?"

"Back home."

"Home?"

"My home." I corrected myself and didn't even realize I had slipped up like that, "Do you have anything you want to do?"

"Can we order from that Indian place again?"

"I've got a better idea." I said, pulling out my phone and dialing Jasper. Our conversation took all of five seconds.

"What was that all about?" Bella asked when I was done.

"Jasper has this restaurant that makes the best Indian food in the city. He and Alice are coming over later."

I drove into the underground garage of my building and didn't even bother slowing down as I whipped the car into a space of the parking lot that was blocked off for just Emmett, Jasper and I.

"Do you have any homework tonight?" I asked Bella like I was her father and got out of the car.

"No, just a test tomorrow but it's going to be easy." She took my hand as we walked towards the elevators.

I was proud of myself for not pulling back like I used to. Now, things like pecks, touching, hand holding, spending nights together; it was all normal. I had also noticed that my OCD was faltering around Bella.

It was never truly gone and I knew it never would be but the whole time Bella stayed over my house last week, I barely cringed at her touching things but I think she knew something was wrong with me so she tried to keep her hands to herself. I truly didn't mind though. Bella just seemed less…dirty than everyone else.

That night, Alice and Jasper along with Rose and Emmett came over to pig out on spicy Indian food that none of us had any business eating.

It was strange to sit around with my brothers in such a relaxed setting; I don't think I've ever just had dinner with them now that I think about it. We actually laughed together and I think it was all thanks to Bella. I don't know how to explain it but she just got people talking and I was able to loosen my tie for the first time in a long time.

Emmett, Jasper, Rose and Alice left around ten and I was hoping that Bella would stay the night but I didn't really know how to ask her.

"I think you had a good time." Bella laughed as she pointed to the four beer bottles that were mine on the coffee table.

"I know, I don't even remember when I just talked to my brothers." I sighed and threw some trash in the bag I was carrying as we cleaned up.

"That was really good food." She said.

"Jasper has so many restaurants and they all have something different. I'll take you to a couple of the good ones."

Bella and I continued to clean in tandem, not really speaking but it wasn't awkward. When we were done, I just sat on the sofa and Bella came next to me.

I didn't feel weird putting my arm around her and I could even notice the change in myself. I wasn't actually repulsed by the new me either.

"So, what else do you have planned for the night?" I asked, trying to be as casual as possible.

"Nothing, just a test tomorrow and no weekend plans after that." She shrugged, playing with the hem of my shirt that was un-tucked from my pants, "What about you, anything special?"

"No, I might have to work on Saturday but besides that, I'm free."

"Work" Bella nodded to herself, "What is it exactly you do again?"

"Sell houses." I replied easily.

She sighed heavily, "I know this might sound strange and it might not be my place but…I don't believe you."

_Good!_

"Why not?"

"Because, things just seem…not right about this whole situation. I don't mean to be rude but you and your brothers aren't the type of people I see running restaurants or being real estate agents." She looked at me with slightly inquisitive eyes.

"I…can't say." I hung my head, trying to give her something but I just couldn't, "Don't be mad at me but there are certain things that I have to keep private about my family."

"I understand but you're not in danger, are you?"

"I know how to defend myself." I answered.

It almost looked like Bella was about to cry. I had never had someone to care for me before, outside of family and I was actually starting to think that Bella loved me or something like that.

The question still remained though. Did I love her?

"I want to show you something." I tried to deflect our conversation and got up from the couch, holding my hand out for her.

Bella took it hesitantly without saying a word.

"I'm not going to bite." I had to laugh at her shyness and kissed the side of her head that was covered in the sweet smelling hair that I loved so much.

"Where are we going?" She asked as I pulled her up the stairs.

"I want to show you something." I repeated.

Bella just kept walking with me, down the halls of my penthouse. I had never really paid any attention to it before but this place was fucking huge. Even I almost got lost in here on occasion and I had to pull out information in the corners of my mind to remember how to get around.

I finally arrived at the door I wanted and pushed it open slowly, turning the lights on when we both were inside.

"Wow." Bella said in awe as she dropped my hand, "All of these are yours?"

"Yeah" I put my hands in my pockets, just watching her roam.

We were in my library, which I never really sat in unless I had work to do but kept the place to house all the books I owned. I'm usually an avid reader but lately, I had been slacking. Ever since I was little, I had loved to get lost in the world of authors' minds. I of course had my favorites but I would probably read anything before I made a judgment on one genre or another.

The room was very minimal while still being overwhelming.

The oak parquet floors were covered in an expensive Oriental rug that had hypnotic patterns of red and gold. There were two large chairs in each corner and a cherry wood desk near the back with another chair behind it. But the main thing that attracted the eye was the floor to ceiling bookshelves that wrapped themselves around the room. They were all filled with books and ladders were attached so you could ride around just like in the old movies.

I knew I had exactly 6,714 books on these shelves and I had read every one of them over my lifetime, most twice. They were all alphabetized and then color coordinated in that certain letter. Along with that, I had a system on my computer that had a catalog of each and every book I owned. The novels that were in different languages were categorized like a map would be.

"I can't believe this. You must have more books than the library at school." Bella walked towards the closest shelf and skimmed her fingers over the spines of a couple books.

I didn't feel any discomfort come over me as I watched her small digits run over my collections. I was actually turned on.

"Do you want to go up?" I asked her since Bella only reached the shelf that was eye level to her.

"May I?" She turned around and got a look of pure joy on her face. I wanted to see that look every day.

I chuckled, "Of course."

I retrieved a ladder and pulled it towards us on wheels, stopping it in front of the section Bella was in.

"You have to hold me so I don't fall." She said as she stepped onto the first railing.

"I've got you." I steadied her as she went up.

"This is really incredible." Bella went higher, giving me a great view of her ass and my dick twitched in my pants.

"I have everything you could ever want to read up there."

"I see." She climbed higher, "Classics, contemporary, horror, fiction, romance. I think my literature professor would jizz his pants if he came in here."

"I'm about to jizz mine in a minute." I ran my hand that wasn't holding the ladder, through my hair.

"What was that?" Bella called down to me.

"Nothing, just keep looking."

"Can I read one of them?"

"Of course. What's your favorite?"

"I can't choose. That's like picking your favorite child or ice cream."

"Did you just compare children to ice cream?"

"Ice cream is my children, Edward. It's my vice so don't make fun of me." Bella was on about the twelfth step, very high up. .

"Have you found anything yet?"

"Just be sure to catch them as they fall." She dropped _The Grapes of Wrath_ towards the floor and I easily caught it in my hand, "Can I get another one?"

"As many as you want."

"Okay, push me over there." Bella pointed to her left, "Slowly, Edward. I don't want to break my ass."

"I would catch you." I gradually inched the ladder in the direction she wanted to go.

"I'm never leaving this room."

"Don't you have a test tomorrow?"

"I'm staying here tonight so I guess you'll have to drive me back." She said almost as if it was a question and I was going to say no.

"That's fine with me." That was more than fine with me but I didn't want to seem too enthusiastic.

Bella spent a full hour on top of her golden ladder and my legs were getting quite the workout from pushing her around the whole room but I didn't mind at all. By the time she climbed back down, I had _Anna Karenina, 1984, _and _Little Women_ added to my hands.

I set them on my desk before going to help Bella down.

"I don't know which one I should start first." Bella stood at the desk, thumbing open the pages of a book.

I suddenly got very aroused and I didn't know if she felt it but the tension in the air was creating a thick heat that was nearly oppressive.

I couldn't help myself as I stood behind her, our bodies flushed together and read over her shoulder.

"You could always take them and bring them back later. I wouldn't mind." I rested my hands on her waist, wanting to progress this further.

Images of Bella bent over my desk were making me very hot and I wasn't going to settle for a handjob this time.

"Really? I would love that." She replied and I could tell that she wasn't reading anymore.

"What's your favorite?" I ask, running my nose along her creamy neck.

"Uh…I told you I can't pick."

"You're going to have to do better than that." I squeezed her hips, pressing myself further into her body.

Bella's breathing increased, her skin feeling delicious under my nose so I kissed her neck, my favorite place of her body that wasn't currently covered up in clothing.

"I…I guess _The Grapes of Wrath._"

"I hate Steinbeck." I whispered, nearly grabbing her hips painfully but if she didn't say anything then I wasn't letting go.

"I think he revolutionized literature in the early 20th century." Bella leaned into me, her ass molding into my cock and her breathing coming harder through her throat.

"Revolutionary would be Tennessee Williams or Ernest Hemingway." My fingers dance under her shirt, just enough to feel the skin of her stomach and ribs but not traveling further. Not yet.

"They were all trying to imitate previous writers. I can never take either one of them seriously."

"You're wrong on so many levels. How can you think that Hemingway wasn't important?"

"Because he killed himself. I just don't take the tortured artist thing to heart. None of his stuff was really liked when he was alive but as soon as he died, it suddenly turned golden." She breathed softly.

Only two nerds like us would be having a round of foreplay while discussing classic literature. I never thought books would be so hot. I would have to write a letter to _Penthouse _or something on this one.

"I don't think Williams was imitating anyone. His stuff is too strange." I said and actually licked the skin of Bella's neck, right below her left ear. She tasted like sweet fruit, I didn't know which but I would eat anything she was willing to give me.

"Edward…we can't do this." Bella panted and I saw that her hands were pale, holding the side of the desk tightly.

"I have a surprise for you." I purposefully leaned over, dangerously close so that we bent at the same time and opened up the top drawer of my desk. I pulled out the envelope and stood back up, bringing Bella with me before I set it in front of her.

"What's this?" She asked while I played with her ear lobe in between my lips.

"Your surprise" I answered.

With shaking hands, Bella ripped the envelope open and read it silently. I couldn't help but keep Bella bent slightly so that her ass was pressed into my crotch. I could actually feel her crack on the ridge of my dick and I was tempted to shift us so that I received some friction.

"You got tested…" Bella let her sentence trail off.

"Clean as a whistle." I muttered against the skin of her shoulder as I pulled her shirt to the side, "It took so long because I had to wait for the AIDS test but it was all negative."

I think I heard a 'finally' fall from Bella's lips but I could have been wrong. She was alluring me in ways that I never thought possible and if I didn't have her soon, I might jump off of the building.

"Just let me do everything." I inched my hands under her shirt again from behind but this time, went higher until I was her wonderful, round, smooth, soft breasts, palming both of them in my hands.

Bella shook and backed into me further, "You could have warned me." She whispered.

"That would take all the fun out of it." I said with a smirk and lifted the shirt completely off of her body, exposing her lacy, baby blue bra.

I turned Bella around slowly and my eyes went from her brown ones to the balloons on her chest.

"Do you always wear this?" I asked, skimming the outline of her bra.

"No, I've been in lacy things all week, just waiting for you to tell me you got tested." Bella bit her bottom lip and it drove me insane.

I slowly moved my hand from her chest, up her neck and rested my hand against her cheek. I released her lip from its prison.

"You'll make yourself bleed." I said in a daze. I lifted Bella onto the desk and she barely weighed anything, "You've been wearing things like this all week?" I kissed the strap of her bra.

"Yeah, I wanted to look nice." She replied shyly.

"You always look nice." My kisses went into the center of her chest and I felt her fingers in my hair.

I leaned Bella back so that she was against the hard, cool wood of the desk with me in between her legs. I had to close my eyes as I trailed my lips across her skin, in-between her breasts and along her ribs.

Bella was panting like a beast as my tongue drew on the amazing curves of her chest. My lips glided towards the front of her bra, unclasping the hook that kept her tits secure.

"I like the front clasp." I muttered as the cups fell to the side, letting her breasts spill out.

"Shit…" Bella moaned as I took her left nipple into my warm mouth and she arched at an impossible angle, grabbing my hair harder.

My tongue, my lips, my saliva was all over her pert nipple and I was painfully hard in my pants. My dick- was screaming to be freed but I once heard that the sign of an adult it delayed gratification. I must be elderly by now.

After her left breast got the perfect amount of attention, I moved on to the right, devouring it with just as much passion.

"More…" She breathed and I grinned my way down her stomach, sliding her off the desk as I reached the waistband of her jeans with my tongue. My face was literally between her thighs as I knelt on the floor.

"I don't think I can get this undone with my tongue." I played with the button of her pants.

"Use…your fingers." Bella growled, "Piano fingers."

"What was that?"

She didn't answer me but bucked her hips towards me.

My fingers easily undid the clasp before sliding her jeans off. They fell in a heap on the floor. My hands ran back up each of Bella's legs, feeling the smooth, slick surfaces of her ankles, calves, shins, thighs.

Her panties were the same lacy, baby blue fabric as her bra and even through the material; I could see Bella's perfectly pink pussy. It was obvious that she landscaped down there but wasn't bare.

I licked my way up her right thigh and reached her sex in seconds, gliding my nose along her slit when I was in the position.

"Oh my…God…" Bella bucked again.

I covered her lace covered pussy with my mouth and began sucking lightly, spreading her legs apart almost all the way on opposite sides of the desk. All the while, I was unbuttoning my shirt and had it off my body in little to no time.

"So amazingly sweet" I muttered as my tongue roughly ate her out.

"More…" She commanded above me, "I need more, Edward."

I was happy to oblige her and gently moved my newly favorite pair of panties away from her pussy, revealing it to me.

"Take them off." Bella almost snarled.

"Patience, Sweetheart" I said but did as she said and hooked my fingers into the sides of her underwear, sliding them down her legs like I had done her jeans minutes before. I stowed the panties in my back pocket for safe keeping.

There Bella lay, on my cherry wood desk, completely naked.

"Fuck me…" I moaned as I looked at her.

I couldn't help myself as I dove head first in between her legs, my mouth greedily licked and sucking anything I could find. I was like an animal on the hunt and I wasn't ashamed to completely ravish the hell out of Bella's tantalizing poon.

She seized my hair forcefully, pulling at the roots as I continued to consume what she had for me. Bella's groans and sounds were only spurring me on further as I slipped two fingers in between her lips, stretching her, preparing her.

Bella muttered something incoherent above me as my fingers nimbly pumped in and out, in and out. I masterfully curled them to hit that spot and Bella's cries erupted through the room, bouncing off of the classic literature that lined the walls.

I bet William Shakespeare, Virgil, Mark Twain, Edith Wharton, Jacob London and others were turning over in their graves.

_Fuck you!_

I screamed at them in my head.

"Edward…" Bella began to shake above me with such force that I thought I was performing an exorcism. The devil was being finger fucked out of her and I wasn't going to stop until he was gone.

I added another finger and her walls were so tight around me that I couldn't even keep them side by side. I had to fold them over each other so that they would fit in between her legs. It was so difficult for me to concentrate with her scent on my lips, on my fingers, on my tongue.

Bella convulsed in a rattle and we both moaned in pleasure as she erupted into my mouth. I lapped up every single drop that I could and tasted the sweet nectar of the Gods. It was almost too much for me to handle.

I didn't stop moving my fingers as she rode out her orgasm and screamed my name like I was a rock star. Little did she know, we were far from over.

I retracted my soaking wet fingers and trailed them over the skin of her stomach as I slid back up from my knees to hover over her body.

"Do you want to taste?" I asked Bella as I kissed my way up to her lips.

She nodded silently.

I pulled back and looked into her eyes for any sign of uncertainty but couldn't find any so my fingers inched their way into her rosy lips. Bella sucked on all three of my fingers, swirling her tongue over them as my shaking hands tried to still themselves. I couldn't stop imagining her mouth doing the same thing to my dick but I promised myself that I would never left Bella get on her knees for me. She was more than that.

"Do you like you taste yourself?" I gently slipped my fingers out of her mouth.

"Yes." She answered in a breath.

"Are you ready for more?"

"Yes."

I lifted Bella back up so that she was sitting straight in all her glory, naked as the day she was born. I couldn't help but let my eyes travel the contours of her incredible body.

"Perfect…" I sighed in pleasure.

"Can…can we do this…differently?" Bella asked shyly.

"Differently?" I raised an eyebrow.

Bella pushed me softly so that I was a few steps back. She slithered off the desk slowly and landed on the carpet. She turned around and bent the hell over so that I could see absolutely everything.

"Is this alright?" She peeked over her shoulder.

_Fuck yes!_

I couldn't speak, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move.

I dumbly stared at Bella's ass. I memorized the way her hair spilled over her shoulders, the way her skin shined in the light of the room. She was the definition of an angel.

I dropped my pants and boxers so quickly; I didn't even realize it until I felt the breeze on my butt. I easily stepped out of my clothes and stalked over to Bella like an animal to a watering hole.

I meshed our naked bodies together, forcing my dick flush against the crack of her ass like I wanted to before. We both let out a guttural sound as I moved slightly, feeling the softness of her skin.

"I need you." Bella mumbled and rested on her forearms over the desk.

I ran my hand along her spine, tracing the graceful curve of her back.

"I hate to say this but I might have to leave you here." I spoke almost painfully, "I have condoms in my room but not here."

"You don't need them. I'm on the pill and now that you're clean…"

_The pill? _

I hated those two words for the simple fact that they weren't tangible proof. A woman could say that she was on the pill all she wanted and I would be none the wiser until a baby popped out and I never wanted children so that provided a problem. I never trusted women enough to let "the pill" gambit work.

Could I trust Bella?

As much as I wanted to say no and run to my room for a condom, my self control wasn't that good. I thought it was but obviously not. The warmth of her ass cheeks as they surrounded my dick was enough to make me give up everything I owned. My house, my trust fund, my cars, my money; she could have it all.

"Are you sure?" I asked like a teenager.

"Yeah."

I couldn't help myself as I pushed her legs wider over the desk and could smell her arousal as I pushed my cock into the wetness of her pussy, just enough to taste it.

"Shittttttt." I groaned loudly as my tip was engulfed in heat.

Bella's knees almost collapsed but I pulled out.

"You're going to kill me." I growled and pushed in again, further this time and the veins of my monster cock were screaming in pain.

"Edward, why is your dick so big?" Bella rolled her hips on my tip and I spread the wetness that was pooling from her slit.

"I have no idea but are you complaining?" I thrusts into her a little more, about halfway down my dick and I was stretching her to impossible limits.

"I don't think I can take it."

"You have before." I nearly cried from her tightness.

"I don't know how I did. I feel so much…tighter." She panted.

"Fuck yes you do."

I guess I was going too slow for Bella because she backed into me on her own, without any guidance and sheathed me in her entirely, eliciting screams from both of us.

Her wetness was potent and her legs spread even further, to the point of gymnastic proportions.

I knew that I had to move soon but truthfully, I could have just stayed still for hours.

I shifted my hips upwards and hit what I only assumed was a vital organ as I pushed myself deeper.

We started to move with each other, skin against skin and I wouldn't use a condom even if I did have one. I know that sounds irresponsible but I didn't care. I couldn't help myself.

Bella gripped the desk as it rattled from our movements. I slammed into her from behind, loving the way her ass was hitting my crotch and I threw my head back as sweat started to drip from my hair.

I almost never sweat but here I was, almost drenching our bodies.

I didn't feel the need to involve myself in dirty talk because my mind wasn't really working or it wasn't connected to my spinal column, I didn't know which one it was.

Bella's screams were pushing me harder, her walls were clamping over my dick and I was about to explode but I couldn't do it. I had to hold off so I rammed into her harder while thinking about dead kittens or pigs or anything that would make me last longer.

"I can't…" Bella moaned, almost as if she was reading my thoughts, "I'm about to cum."

"Hold on." I said as the sound of slapping skin sounded throughout the room and our bodies rammed into each other.

I bent over her body, reaching in between us in between her legs to rub over her swollen clit with the pad of my finger.

That did it. One touch and she erupted onto my dick.

I couldn't help myself and my release followed soon after.

I felt juices spill out of her, whether they were from me or from her, I wasn't sure and I didn't care. Bella was panting my name like a prayer as she rocked onto her toes, trying to prolong her orgasm. My cock was painfully throbbing in her pussy and pulsing my seed out in long spurts that were dripping onto my desk, staining the wood with white and clear liquid.

I leaned forward and kissed the sweat shined skin of her back, her shoulders, her hair and pressed her further down.

"You're killing me, Isabella." I whispered into her ear, "You're killing me."

Bella was still shaking and I wished I could have seen her eyes because I bet they were fuck beautiful.

We didn't move for at least ten minutes. I stayed within her body with no more than a whisper passed between us. My OCD was screaming at me to shower and clean up the mess we had made but I was pushing it back. I didn't care.

I slipped out of her pussy when I went limp but as soon as I did, my cock was ready again. I knew she wasn't though so I backed away. I rubbed my hands over her ass as I massaged her impressive cheeks.

"Are you okay?" I asked thoughtfully.

Bella pushed herself up on her arms and stumbled to turn around. I helped her to the chair behind my desk and she sat in a heap. Her hair was a rat's nest, her eyes were glowing, her skin was sweat covered and she looked amazing.

"You have to be the best lover on the entire planet." She half laughed and breathed heavily.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine. Can I stay here tonight?"

"Of course" I kissed her lightly.

We dragged ourselves to bed after another hour of just sitting. There was nothing we could say that would rival the experience we just had. It was more than just sex. I think…I made love.

I was satisfied, not only physically, but soulfully as well. It was hard to explain.

We showered, basically just standing under the water, our muscles too tired to do anything else. She wrapped herself in one of my shirts and that was one of the sexiest things I had ever seen. I didn't go to sleep that night. Instead, I drew circles on Bella's stomach while I watched her drift off into dreamland.

Whenever I closed my eyes that night, I didn't have sex dreams like I normally would after fucking. I just dreamed of Bella and me, reading. I know it was corny and sappy but the time we spent reading was the time that I felt for Bella most because she was so natural and beautiful.

All too soon, the clock on my phone chimed seven.

"Bella, it's time to wake up." I kissed her shoulder but she didn't move. I continued to shake her gently while kissing anywhere I could reach.

"Leave me alone." She rolled away from me.

I chuckled, "You have a test today." I suddenly felt extremely guilty that she hadn't studied.

"I don't want to take it. Go away." Bella mumbled.

"Get up, mia Bella."

"No." She said and lifted her head to meet mine, "I want to stay here for the rest of my life."

I kissed her strongly and I wanted my tongue to claim her but I knew that would lead to things we didn't have time for.

"You have to go to school." I kept my kisses short.

"You sound like my father."

My heart skipped a beat at her comparison but I didn't show it.

"Get up." I ordered.

"Fine" Bella rolled her eyes and started to lift herself off of the bed. I followed on her side because it looked like she was about to fall over.

"Are you alright?" I asked as I swung my legs over the side.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let me just use the bathroom." Bella stood up and stretched before heading towards the other room. I noticed her walking slightly awkwardly and sighed angrily at the fact that I might have hurt her.

Bella came out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later in her clothes from last night, brushed hair and a bright smile but I was less than happy.

"What's wrong?" She asked and stood by the door.

"Why didn't you say anything last night?" I grumbled under my breath.

"About what?"

"Why didn't you tell me to stop if I was hurting you?"

"You…didn't."

"Bella, don't lie to me." I pulled at my hair, "I hurt you, I can see it."

"No you didn't." She insisted.

"Walk towards me." I commanded and her face screwed up.

She thought for a second, shifting her weight but started to move slowly and I saw her shaking legs with each step. It was painful to even watch.

I rushed to Bella and held her up before she fell, "I can't believe you."

"I'm fine, Edward."

"No you're not and stop saying that you are." I carried her to the bed and laid her down.

"I'm just sore. Stop over reacting."

"You're not going to school today." I pushed her back against the pillows.

"Now you really sound like Charlie. I have a test and I'm not sitting in bed just because my muscles are a little tired." Bella sat up.

"I hurt you." I said to myself mainly and my entire head felt like lead as it hung to my chest.

"No you didn't." I felt Bella's arms around me, "I don't regret anything and if you think that last night was anything but perfect, then you're wrong." She kissed my shoulder, "I would never take it back."

I breathed through my nose, "Do you promise to take some medicine when you get back home?"

"Yes, I know Alice has butt loads of Tylenol in her purse." She giggled.

"Promise me that you'll take it easy today?" I held her hand.

"I promise." I got another kiss.

Half an hour later, I was dressed in a suit and Bella was dragging me out of the house. We stopped off at the Starbucks across the street before going back to the BMW so I could take her to school. I dropped her off in front of her class and Alice was waiting on the curb with a smile. I also detected the bodyguard down the street but he was just as hidden as I wanted him to be.

I got a kiss and then Bella bounced off to her class.

I was still mad at the situation that had occurred last night but Bella said she was fine so I had to take her word for it. If I had things my way, she wouldn't have left the bed all weekend but that might also be bad for her wellbeing.

I drove easily towards my parents' house while thumping my thumbs on the steering wheel.

I just had an extra something about me this morning and it must have come from last night. I noticed that I had never acted like this with any of the girl but that's why Bella was special.

I pulled up to the gates of the house thirty minutes later and saw the beefed up security around the compound but things had been like that since coming back from Russia. My father wasn't taking any chances and Albert's slight threat was enough to put us all on alert.

We all had bodyguards following us and I didn't even know who some of them were but I could feel them. My mother was basically locked in the house but she wasn't having that. Rose was the same way and cursed Emmett out when some dude followed her to the spa. I knew that Bella would do that same thing to me but I wasn't letting her go unprotected.

I parked in front of the house and walked up the stairs where Jerry was ready to meet me.

"Hello, sir." He shook my hand, "Would you like breakfast this morning?"

"No, I got it." I held up my coffee and took my sunglasses off.

"Your father would like to see you in his study." He shut the giant door.

"Alright. Are Jasper and Emmett here?' I asked as I made my way through the house towards the back.

"Yes sir. They got here earlier."

I checked my watch, noticing that it was only eight. Must be serious.

"Thanks." I climbed the gigantic stairs two at a time, arriving at my father's office in seconds.

I knocked lightly and he told me to come in. I saw Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle, Esme and Alec all talking but stopped when I walked in.

"There you are." My mother ran towards me for a hug, which I gave her.

"I didn't know we were having a family meeting." I said.

"We just have a little Blood Oath to complete." Emmett grinned wickedly.

I looked at Alec who seemed scared.

"Gotcha" I nodded in understanding.

A blood oath was something my father came up with years ago when he had a problem with loyalty in the family. Ever since then, anyone who wanted to join the Cullen's, sons included, had to sign their trust.

"How are you, kid?" I asked Alec, ruffling his hair like a big brother would do.

"Good." He replied and looked actually healthier although he was still too small to be normal.

"Let's get this over with. I'm supposed to be meeting Alice soon." Jasper checked his watch.

"Hush." Esme scolded, "We have family business to take care of."

We all gathered around Carlisle's desk and I wondered what it would be like to fuck Bella over this monstrosity but kept my cool.

"What am I supposed to do?" Alec asked shyly.

"Just watch." Emmett whispered to him.

Carlisle pulled out some papers and didn't even bother to read anything over before signing them and then handing them over to Esme who did the same thing.

"These are adoption papers." My father spoke to Alec in a loving voice, "I already spoke to you yesterday about all of this and you don't have to sign them if you don't want to but I want you to know that you always have a home here."

Esme nodded frantically.

"It's really not that bad." Jasper hit Alec's shoulder.

The boy looked to me for guidance but I didn't know what to do besides give him a nod.

He bit his bottom lip, almost like Bella did, and held his hand out for the papers.

Carlisle happily handed them over along with a pen.

"Uh…I don't know how to write." Alec said softly.

"I'll help you." Esme walked around the desk and took his hand in hers. They traced lines on the paper with the pen until a squiggly line appeared right under my father's and mother's.

"Wahoooo!" Emmett threw his hands up in the air, "New brother." He lifted Alec off of his seat and spun him around.

"Put him down." Esme chased them around the room.

"This is about to become insanity." I said to myself.

I wasn't jealous of Alec like I thought I might be. I was actually kind of excited to have someone to help raise. Everyone had had a hand in molding me so I wanted to help Alec and be the older brother that he needed. I also knew that my parents held more than enough love for the four of us, not that I craved their affection but I knew how these things worked. A new shiny toy would come and everyone would forget about all the others.

I actually wished that would happen so I could lead some kind of a normal life. I would never be anything more than _Il Principe,_ the prince in this family and I would have traded spots with Alec any day. My father always said he never had favorites but you could tell that I was the apple of his eye. He was making me into a machine that would rule the world at some point and I was okay with that but I just hoped that Alec knew what he was getting himself into because there was no going back from here. You were either a Cullen all the way or not at all. He was given an option and he chose the best path but his life might not always be as glamorous as it appeared. Mine surely wasn't.

Carlisle pulled out a piece of old-world parchment and a very sharp, pearly handled knife. It was about six inches long and not very wide but the point was deadly from just looking at it.

"Goody." I muttered sarcastically.

"What's that for?" Alec asked when he came back over to the desk.

"Blood Oath" My father answered simply and without warning, dug the knife into the palm of his hand. He didn't even wince as the dagger drew blood from his skin and it spilled onto the parchment.

"It doesn't hurt that badly." Jasper said to Alec whose eyes were wide with fear.

I took the knife from Carlisle and plunged it into my palm in the same spot that I always did when we went through this. It was only for family members that I had to join in but this was a rarity. Blood Oaths were almost sacred, sealing secrecy, loyalty, honor.

The blood from my hand mixed with my father's, staining the paper.

The knife was passed around in a circle to Jasper and then Emmett before he handed it off to Alec.

Once again, Esme helped him by drawing a small amount of blood from his palm and letting it drip downward. He didn't squirm or say anything as the knife dug into his flesh and I was highly impressed. The first time I went through this, I was about his age and screamed to the high heavens.

"You're now a Cullen." Carlisle said to Alec, "Congratulations."

"This is so cool." Emmett pumped his fist, "We should have a party or something."

"Of course" Esme said like it was obvious, "All the papers are signed and the blood has been drawn. It's official."

It always made me laugh at how my family thought that blood somehow made everything legal.

"You did so much better than I did." I told Alec truthfully.

"Really?" He asked excitedly.

"Yeah, Eddie boy screamed like a little girl." Jasper laughed.

"You didn't do that much better." Emmett slapped him on the back, "You wouldn't come out of your room for three days."

"Shut up." Jasper shoved him.

Emmett poured the six shots of deep brown, Italian, cognac liquor that my father had in the cabinet and we all raised our glasses, even Alec.

"To a new beginning for a young soul." Carlisle spoke fatherly.

We clinked cups and downed the liquid easily. Alec choked his down and we all had a laugh at that.

Carlisle recited a long prayer in Italian and then lit the piece of paper with the scent of our blood filling the air. I watched the parchment burn to dark scarps onto my father's desk and Esme gave her new son a kiss on the crown of his head.

******************

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HOLY BLOOD BROTHERS AND LIBRARY LEMONADE BATMAN

I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED YOUR FIRST REAL DOSE OF BELLA/EDWARD LOVE TIME. MORE WILL COME AND THEY ARE A BEAST TO WRITE BUT I CAN'T HELP IT. I KNOW I HAVE LOTS OF PERVY READERS OUT THERE SO DON'T BE SHY TO SHOW TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IN REVIEWS. HAHAHA

WHAT ELSE TO SAY…OH, ALEC HAS A FAMILY NOW SO THAT'S GOOD. HE'S MY FAVORITE CHARACTER AS OF YET SO MORE OF HIM LATER.

CARLISLE'S GETTING BETTER AS WELL SO EVERYTHING IS FALLING INTO PLACE.

GO CHECK OUT THE BLOG LATER TONIGHT FOR MORE RAMBLINGS.

AND FOR THOSE ASKING FOR LDV, IT IS COMING BUT IT'S TAKING A LONG TIME TO PERFECT. DON'T RUSH ME! LOL. I HAVEN'T FORGOETTEN ABOUT IT.

JOHNNYBOY OUT!


	22. Chapter 21

The Tale of Two Edwards

BELLA POV

"_Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust, like diamonds we are cut with our own dust.__"-__John Webster_

All things related to Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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_Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter — tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning —_

"_So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."_

I read the last lines of _The Great Gatsby_ and closed the book as Edward kissed his way up my legs that were currently left naked, wrapped in his sheets.

"I like that book the best so far." Edward's voice was mumbled and he finally looked at me with piercing eyes, "Even though I usually hate it."

"I told you that you would." I put the book on the table next to his bed, "I don't know why you insist that Fitzgerald can't write."

"He's just never done anything for me." Edward stopped his kissing and came to lie next to me.

It was the end of October, only two days before Halloween and I was more than willing to just sit in Edward's house and read forever.

I had gone through about five novels in the span of four days. I would read a little from each of them every night and if I was staying over Edward's, he wouldn't let me go to sleep unless I read to him. It was "our thing" I guess and I didn't understand what it was but Edward always seemed turned on by me reading so that would merge into late night love making sessions that never tired me out.

After the first initial shock of Edward's veracious sexual appetite, I realized that it wasn't an odd thing to go two, three rounds in a night and we would be dog tired by the next morning but I didn't care. He was incredible and taught me things about my body that I didn't ever think were possible. The way I screamed from pleasure should have brought the ceilings down. I was turning into a nymphomaniac because all I thought about was fucking Edward if we were apart and I literally counted down the minutes until I could see him again.

It was pathetic but I didn't have any way of explaining it.

No matter what it was, Edward and I were fucking like rabbits and I was slowly getting used to being in his bed when I went to sleep as well as when I woke up. In the past week, I think I've slept in my dorm maybe once and that was only because I had a group study session that night.

Edward and I had settled into a very comfortable routine. Every afternoon, he would either pick me up or I would just walk to his apartment, which wasn't that far away. Sometimes Alice would walk with me and stop off at Jasper's but most of the time, it was just me alone.

I didn't have a key to the place and I had to ask the man at the front desk for a new one every time. I would hold onto it like a lifeline in my pocket or book bag but whenever I would look for the damned thing, it was gone. I had a suspicion that Edward was taking them while I slept but I hadn't approached him about it yet.

If Edward was home when I came up, then we would order dinner and he made me do homework before the real fun began. We would lock ourselves in his room, reading, having sex, talking.

If he wasn't home then I would just wait until he got back from work before jumping him like a crazed groupie.

That was basically it.

Nothing too exciting to report but it was nice to just spend time together with Edward because I was falling more in love and I didn't know how to tell him.

That was my main problem as of now. I didn't know what to say. Was it too soon for that? Was I just crazy? Did Edward even care? I was going crazy just thinking about it all when I slept so I tried to go with the flow but there was always this bell in the back of my head that would ring whenever Edward touched me or kissed me or looked at me. After awhile, the bell seemed to be chiming three words: I love you.

I couldn't shut it up.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked me, bringing my mind back from my thoughts.

"Nothing."

"You can't be thinking about nothing." He chuckled, "It's impossible."

I shrugged and snuggled deeper into his pillows that were surrounding us on all sides, "Do you have plans for tomorrow?"

"Well, it's Friday so…the normal." He replied like a question.

"I have classes early in the morning and then I'm free. If you…want to even hang out with me." I quickly said, backtracking.

"Calm down, Bella. I have no friends so don't worry. I won't be going anywhere." He laughed.

I loved it when he was like this. There were no barriers and Edward could just laugh freely. I had figured him out somewhat from our time together. I had deduced that the two Edwards were so different from each other that it was almost bordering on bipolar disorder.

With me, when we were alone, he would express amusement, joke and play around but as soon as someone came around or when we were in public, a wall went up. I didn't know what that was about but Edward basically shut down, not towards me but towards others. He would be cold and clipped, like he didn't even want to talk to them. It was so strange. Even with Emmett and Jasper, he was acting like the leader of their small group. The weird thing was that they followed. Maybe it was just the dynamic of their family but Edward was kind of scary around other people.

I would always make sure to never back down though whenever he went off into Dr. Jekyll mode. He was getting slightly better at opening up to me but there were still things that he kept to himself. I wasn't trying to poke into his life, I simply wanted to know who the real Edward was.

"I was actually wondering if you wanted to come to a baseball game with me and my family tomorrow?" Edward asked.

"Really?"

"Yeah, we always get good seats from the mayor and my father is a huge White Sox fan. Plus, it's the playoffs so…"

"I would love to go." I said, maybe a little too enthusiastically but I didn't care, "I don't know that much about baseball but I can keep up. Charlie usually makes me sit in front of the TV to watch the games."

"I don't usually go but if you are, then I'll be there."

"You don't go? The mayor gives you guys seats and you pass that up every year?"

"I don't get too excited over things like that and the mayor is just trying to get as much money out of us as he can. I sold him his house."

"Wow, I didn't realize you ran in such high circles." I laid on his chest.

"You have no idea." He sighed, "And then Halloween is on Sunday."

"Alice already has my costume picked out."

"What is it?" Edward got a certain look in his eye.

I hit his arm, "Stop being such a perv and I don't know. She won't tell me. We're supposed to be going to Plasma for the party they have there."

"Jasper loves that party." He rolled his eyes, "I guess I have to go this year."

"We could stay in." I suggested.

"No, we can go but I'm not dressing up so tell Alice to back off." He said seriously.

"If I have to dress in something then so do you."

"Absolutely not."

I was about to say something else when Edward's phone rang on the table. He reached over me to pick it up.

"Cullen." He answered professionally, telling me that this was a business call. Dr. Jekyll was about to come out.

I couldn't hear what the other line was saying but it sounded pretty serious and Edward started shouting, "What do you mean he got away…fuck you….well bring him back….you're worthless…why can't you take Alec to find him...alright...no, I'll be there in a second." He stumbled out of bed and pulled on some boxers, still on the phone.

I sat up and watched him gather the components of his suit, throwing them on his body. He made sure to smooth out any wrinkles and stood in front of the mirror, fixing his sex hair so that it was straight.

He hung up the phone with a growl, "Idiot!"

"Who?" I asked quietly.

"What?" Edward turned to me with a small fire in his eyes.

"Who's an idiot?"

"Oh, no one." He calmed down, putting up his mask so that I couldn't see how frustrated and angry he was, "I have to go handle some business." Edward snapped a watch on his wrist and stuffed his feet in some shoes.

"You have to sell a house at…eleven at night?" I checked the clock.

Edward stopped when he was at the door but didn't turn around, "I'll be back later."

That was all he said and bound down the stairs. I heard the door slam a second later.

Like it was happening in reverse, the door downstairs opened and Edward stomped back up only a couple seconds after. He came into the room and didn't even stop as he glided to my side of the bed and gave me a passionate kiss. His lips were strong and fierce with a hint of adoration mixed in as he held my face in place with unyielding hands.

All too soon, he pulled back, "I'll be back, I promise."

"Alright" I replied in a soft voice, "Be safe."

"I always am." He kissed me once more before leaving the room again.

I didn't know what Edward was up to but I figured that it was something dangerous and something illegal. I had dwindled my options down to two paths. Drug dealer seemed obvious but I never saw any evidence. I had also gain the farfetched idea of assassin-for-hire. It only got more absurd as the days went on and my imagination wandered.

My body was telling me to get out because I was in a hazardous situation. Being with Edward was risky but I couldn't move. He had a hold on me that was stronger than my mind was willing to admit. I had never felt like this before and even though I knew Edward was a dangerous man, in some way I also knew that he would never hurt me. There was something different about him when it came to us.

But that left me in an even worse situation.

I was the cop's daughter, the one who never got into trouble, the one who didn't even have a parking ticket to her name. Now I was the girl who was with the bad boy. What would Charlie think? What would Renee think?

The sad thing was that I didn't care what they thought about my relationship with Edward. It was hard to turn my back on the law but the pull was too strong. I couldn't help myself. I was slipping further and further away from everything I was taught. I wasn't supposed to be in this man's bed but I couldn't leave.

I didn't desire to.

I sighed, not wanting to think about my current predicament anymore, and got out of the bed to take a shower.

I went into the bathroom and got the ocean spray body wash that was in the cabinet. It was the only scent in there since I had cleaned all the other ones out when I learned that Edward used them for when his many women frequented his shower. I wasn't having that so I threw everything but his scent away. He scowled at me the whole time but didn't say anything.

I got into the massive shower and let the hot water run over my body as I stood under the faucets. It was very relaxing and I thought I was at a spa somewhere as the ocean spray steamed around my muscles.

Half an hour later, I was wrinkled like a prune and got out before wrapping myself in a soft red towel on the counter. I stood in front of the mirror as I brushed my hair until it was tangle free.

I went back into Edward's room and didn't even hesitate as I searched through his top drawer for my favorite sleep clothes. I pulled on the navy blue, silk, Armani boxers and then a plain, white undershirt. I had been wearing these clothes whenever I came over and Edward even set them aside for me.

I climbed back in bed and noticed that an hour had passed since Edward left. I was too tired to wait up and I had an early morning class so I decided to skip out on more reading. I rested my head on the comfortable pillows and was out like a light minutes later.

That night, I dreamed about something but I can't really remember. There was a lot of red through. I wasn't really a big believer in dreams but this one kind of scared me. Wasn't red supposed to be the color of death or something like that? The dream made for a very restless night of sleep.

Sometime around three in the morning, I was woken up from the sound of water dripping on the shower tiles. I squinted my eyes and waited for them to adjust to the dark before sitting up. I figured that Edward was home.

I just wanted to make sure that he was okay.

I got out of bed and quietly walked over to the bathroom door where the light was coming from underneath. I pushed it open softly and was immediately hit in the face was the smell of rusty, tangy blood. It wasn't that bad since the scent was mixed with the steam of the shower but I could still smell it.

I walked into the bathroom further and saw something that must have come out of a horror movie.

On the pristine marble counter, were Edward's clothes. His suit that I didn't even think could wrinkle was bloodied to a point that it was unrecognizable. There was a lot of red liquid dripping onto the floor and I saw drops as they led to the shower.

Even through the glass of the door, I could see Edward scrubbing his naked body that was stained an off color of red. I wanted to run over and make sure he was okay but the blood didn't seem to be his. He was just washing off. It was oddly erotic but I kept my wits about me.

The thing that shocked me about this whole scene wasn't all the blood but the massive, golden gun that was situated next to Edward's suit. It was beautiful in its deadliness with a black holder and was actually shimmering in the lights of the bathroom.

The shower was still running and I was just standing there, looking at the pistol on the counter. I don't think I had ever seen a gun that big and it was almost completely covered in blood with fingerprints along the handle. From their shape and size, I could tell that they were Edward's.

I didn't even notice that I hadn't taken a breath until my head started to get light.

I didn't touch anything and backed out slowly, going into the bedroom.

_Stay or go?_

I decided that Edward's apartment wouldn't be the best place to be if I needed to think about things so I cowardly pulled on the clothes that I came in and almost tripped on my way down the stairs. I was out of the door in a split second and in the elevator, heading down. I just needed to get outside so that I could breathe again. The smell of blood was clinging to the inside of my nose and I realized that I was running away.

The chilly October air was perfect for me to rid my mind of the stench and I took deep breaths outside of his building.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" I asked quietly and just stood in front of the doors.

Once I got my head cleared, I hailed a cab and jumped in the back, calling Alice to tell her that I needed to speak with her. She said she would be waiting in my dorm when I got there.

He tried to warn me. Edward told me that he was a bad man but I didn't listen. I figured he just had a low view of himself but that obviously wasn't the case. He had blood on his hands, literally and figuratively; did that change the way I felt about him?

By the time I got back to my dorm and paid the cab driver, I had my answer to that question.

I still loved him and there was nothing I could do about it but I needed some answers. I wanted to know why Edward got a call in the middle of the night and came back with a bloodied gun. What was going on?

I made it up to my room and Alice was already sitting on my bed waiting.

"What the hell's going on?" She asked, "You sounded really messed up over the phone."

"I know, I know." I sat down on the chair and realized that I didn't grab my backpack before I left. Oh well. There were more pressing matters.

"Are you okay? You look as white as a sheet." Alice sat on the edge of the bed.

"What do you know about Jasper's work?" I pulled off my jacket and got straight to the point.

As soon as the question was out of my mouth, I knew that Alice understood what I was talking about but was covering up, "His restaurants?"

"No, other stuff." I shrugged, "Have you noticed anything strange?"

"No." She laid back down.

"You're lying." I accused.

"I am not." She shot back.

"Yes you are and I know something's going on. I saw a gun."

Alice sat straight up, "Okay, I've wanted to tell you for so long but I couldn't and I had to warn you. There is so much shit going on right now." She slapped a hand over her mouth.

"What do you know?" I went to sit next to her on the bed.

"I can't say really but about a week ago, Jasper got completely drunk and let a lot of things slip."

"What do you mean?"

"They…the Cullen's don't really deal in the most legal types of activities."

"Like drugs or something?"

"…among other things." She replied cryptically, "I can't tell you anything until Edward does, if he chooses to. What happened?"

I told Alice about my night that was basically normal until Edward got that call. She said that Jasper got the same call and left around the same time but she went back to her apartment right after so she wasn't there when he got home.

"I don't know what to do." I held my head in my hands, "My father is a cop and now my boyfriend is a drug dealer?"

"I didn't say that, Bella. You need to talk to Edward."

"What am I supposed to say?"

"I don't know." She said sadly, "Jasper was drunk and let everything slip. I think Carlisle was really mad but there was no taking things back."

"I'm so confused and scared right now."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes." I answered immediately.

"That's the only thing that kept me sane. I know that I love Jasper and he loves me. I could never live without him so I have to accept him."

I envied Alice and Jasper. They just met each other and were basically already planning a wedding. They seemed to have things so easy and had nothing compared to the relationship I had with Edward.

"But it's easier for you because you know what's going on. I'm still in the dark about all of this."

Alice sighed heavily, "I know and to be honest, I don't think Edward's going to tell you anything. I freaked the fuck out. I literally scaled the walls when Jasper was letting things out. Edward is more guarded."

"I was afraid of that. What should I do? Should I tell him that I know something's up?"

"I bet he already has some kind of inkling that you suspect."

"Just tell me if they're doing something illegal." I begged.

"It's worse." Alice packed up her purse and gave me a hug before getting off the bed and leaving the room.

I didn't go to sleep that night but by the time I was settled down, it was already seven in the morning so it was stupid to even try and get some rest.

I changed clothes and didn't even bother getting breakfast because I knew I couldn't keep anything down. I walked out of my dorm and I don't know what it was but my body just seemed to know that he was here.

I raised my head and saw Edward leaning against his BMW with his arms crossed; my backpack in his hands. He had on a navy blue suit and sunglasses so I couldn't really tell the expression on his face but his body position looked rigid. I let out a deep breath and started walking towards the car with feet that felt like boulders.

When I reached him, I kept my head down so that I didn't have to see him or I would surely lose control of myself.

"You left last night." Edward said calmly.

"I know. I had…things to do." I lied.

"I brought your bag back." He handed it to me and as I went to reach, our hands touched slightly. I pulled back, remembering his long fingerprints on the handle of the gold gun last night.

Edward let out a deep breath, "I understand if things are too complicated for you. I should have been more careful last night."

I looked up at him and could tell that Edward was really sorry although he would never say those words, "I'm begging you to tell me what's going on."

He hung his head and kicked a rock on the pavement, "I can't. Jasper told Alice and he's in a shit load of trouble from my father. I can't tell you but I want you to know that it's because I'm trying to protect you."

"Protect me?"

"Yes, I don't want you living the life I have. The only problem is that I can't stay away from you but I don't want you mixed up in all of this."

"I can take care of myself; just tell me what's happening. I think I deserve to know."

Edward looked at me behind his sunglasses, "I'm a coward Bella and I just can't tell you…not yet."

"Not yet?"

"I need to know how far this is going to go between us. If I tell you what's going on now and we break up, what's going to happen to the information I gave you?"

"I know how to keep my mouth shut. I just feel like I'm in the dark."

"Just give me some time to figure out what to do but if you say one word about what you saw last night..." He let his sentence trail off murderously.

I nodded in understanding because if Edward was really doing illegal things, this wasn't something to take lightly. I know that it might sound weak but I couldn't let Edward go. What else could I do but wait until he decided on a course of action. I wanted him, I needed him and even though we just started dating, I could have sworn that we had been together for years. I couldn't drop him even if I wasn't thinking correctly.

My father would kill me, not only for having a twenty-five year old boyfriend but the fact that he was some drug dealer/assassin, would just be icing on the cake.

"Just give me some time." Edward passed a hand over his hair, "I have to figure out the best way to do all of this."

"Okay, I understand." I said stupidly. I should have responded with a 'Get the fuck out and don't come back until you have some answers' but I just couldn't.

He handed me my bag again and this time I took it.

Edward leaned in hesitantly and gave me the most delicate kiss yet that I almost didn't feel.

"Don't hate me. I will tell you." He said firmly, just inches away from my mouth.

"I know." I nodded and he then kissed me one more time before going around to his side of the car.

"Should I expect you at the game tonight?" He asked when he opened the door.

"I'll be there." I smiled but it wasn't real.

"Okay. I'll pick you up at four-thirty." He got in the car and the engine came alive with a smooth sound, driving off a second later.

I didn't feel like going to school now and it seemed like the day was already over but I had to get to class so I made my feet move. I was already ten minutes late but the class was so large that no one would notice.

I sat in my normal seat next to Seth.

"You're late." He muttered quietly.

"I know. I had to get my backpack from my boyfriend." I start pulling out my notes.

"Boyfriend? Damn and I thought we could go out sometime." He chuckled.

"Fat chance"

We stayed quiet for a couple of minutes and made sure to seem like we were paying attention.

"Any weekend plans?" Seth asked me when we had finished an equation on the board.

"Not really. I'm going to a baseball game tonight but that's about it. Maybe a Halloween party later." I shrugged.

"Sounds fun. You taking the boyfriend?"

"Probably" I answered without giving too much away. I was a very private person when it came to relationships. I didn't even really tell my parents when I had a boyfriend and I hardly knew Seth so I didn't want to just gab to a new friend.

"I wish there was something fun I could go to for Halloween. Where is this party you mentioned?"

"Uh…I'm not sure." I said easily and was slightly shocked at how fast the lies came to my mouth. I didn't want Seth knowing that I would be attending a party at Plasma. That would just raise more questions about my age and things like that.

"Well be safe. The freaks come out on Halloween." Seth wiggled his eyebrows.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

Truth be told, Seth was kind of weird and if it weren't for the fact that we were from the same state, I wouldn't have any reason to talk to him. I was always nice but Seth liked to ask questions and that got annoying really quickly.

By the time my classes were finished for the day, I was exhausted so I took a quick nap for about two hours before I got a call from Edward saying that he was on his way. The sound of his voice was thick with worry and still held a little bit of apprehension towards me. It wasn't necessarily awkward but I could tell that he had some things to say and didn't know how.

It was kind of cold outside so I dressed in jeans and a dark green sweater while letting my hair stay in its waves to cover my neck.

Edward said that we were all going out to dinner so I didn't need to eat anything and I was wondering how much money I should bring even though I knew I wouldn't be using it. Edward never let me pay for anything.

I went downstairs and saw Edward in the same spot I did this morning, up against his impressive BMW. He had taken off his suit jacket and was now in the pants with a white, collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He looked extremely delicious and I was happily surprised that I actually felt good to see him. With all the bullshit that had happened last night, I was still joyful from just seeing him.

"Hi." Edward said when I was closer to him. He held the door open for me.

"Hi." Just to show him that I wasn't mad or scared, I stood on my tip toes and gave him a sweet kiss that didn't last more than a couple of seconds but it did the trick because Edward smiled at me.

He was in the car a couple of seconds later and we were off.

"Okay so I know we have some things to talk about but if you could keep whatever you saw under your hat until later that would be much appreciated." Edward said as he drove through late afternoon traffic.

"Will I get you in trouble with Daddy?" I teased.

"Jasper is currently being ringed through the torture chambers." He sighed.

"So what I don't get is why Alice can know but I can't?"

"It's not that you can't, it's just that Jasper wasn't supposed to say anything but his drunk ass…the point of the matter is that Alice shouldn't know anything and luckily, she just got a general picture."

"I know that you're not squeaky clean and I don't expect you to change but I just want to make sure you're not in danger."

"That doesn't matter but I will promise you that you won't ever have to worry about your safety." He looked at me with deep eyes.

"My safety?"

"Just give me time to think about this, Bella." Edward groaned and I backed off the questions.

We drove in compatible silence for a while and I didn't feel scared at all even though I should have been giving the evidence I saw last night.

I decided to change the subject, "So…you said it was the playoffs?"

Edward visibly relaxed, "Yeah, I'm not much of a baseball fan but Carlisle loves it so we usually go when October hits."

"Are the White Sox going to win?"

"The White Sox never win." He laughed in his beautiful baritone, "But we always go to watch."

As we neared U.S. Cellular Field, the traffic became unbearable and I thought that we were going to be in line for hours but Edward masterfully veered off into a section of the parking lot that I guess was reserved because there were security gates blocking it off from the general population.

"Box seats always get the best parking." Edward explained to me when he pulled into the underground garage of the stadium that was filled with expensive cars.

"Do you guys live like this all the time?" I asked, slightly stunned that anyone had this much money.

"Only the best." He answered and moved into a parking spot next to a giant black Hummer that I knew was Emmett's.

I got out of the car when it was turned off and Edward took my hand as we walked through the parking lot. We got into an elevator and went up.

"Is your whole family going to be there?"

"Yes and I promise that Carlisle will be on his best behavior."

"Does he still hate me?"

"No, he never hated you but he's under a lot of pressure to protect his family and he had to make sure you were alright."

"That's the same excuse Rosalie gave me."

"They have similar views on the subject but who cares. You're not going anywhere." Edward wrapped an arm tightly around my waist as we went up.

I looked at the ticket that was in my hands and saw that the game started at seven but that was two hours from now.

"What are we going to be doing for two hours?" I asked.

"We sit in our seats up top and eat basically. We watch warm-ups and then the game starts. Baseball is an all day thing with the Cullens."

"Sounds like fun." I kind of got excited because I had never been to anything like this. I would have to make up some story to Charlie as to how I got such great seats.

The elevators opened and we were in a long hallway that was complete with doors on each side. It was very eerie and the lighting wasn't that good. I could have sworn that we were in a basement somewhere but Edward knew exactly where he was going and arrived at the fifth door on the left before opening it.

The whole room was huge and everything was spacious with floor to ceiling windows that encased the box but could open onto a patio type thing so that we could get up close and personal. The box was pretty high in the stadium and I was looking straight down onto the field, right behind home plate.

I don't even think I noticed everyone else in the room until Emmett swept me up in his arms,

"Bella! We've missed you so much." He spun me around.

"I missed you too Emmett but I just saw you a couple of days ago." I patted his shoulder.

"I know but it's been hell being with just Edward, Jasper and Alec the whole time. They're no fun." Emmett sat me down and I waved to everyone in the box.

"I'm so glad you could come." Esme got up from the sofa with Rose and gave me a hug, "Baseball is a very big deal in this family."

"So I've heard." I hugged her back.

There was heaps upon heaps of food that was lined up on a long table with chairs all around it. Jasper was talking to Alice and they both gave me a head nod, Rose was trying to calm Emmett down, Carlisle was pointing onto the field, trying to show Alec some things and Edward stayed next to me.

"Something's missing." Edward tapped his chin and then snapped his fingers, "I got it." He pulled something out of this back pocket and put a blue White Sox hat on top of my head.

"Oh great." I said sarcastically.

"You look so attractive in that." He kissed me, "You'll have to wear it later." He said suggestively under his breath.

"You wish." I hit his shoulder and went to sit next to Rose and Esme.

Dinner started about ten minutes after Edward and I got there.

We all sat around the long white table, just like it was Sunday, and dug into a massive feast that was catered by someplace called Levy Steakhouse, which I found out from Emmett, was created to feed all the Diamond Club members of the White Sox of which Carlisle had been a member for thirty years. Food was passed around and conversation was abundant as we watched some warm-ups. I was surprised that Carlisle wasn't mean towards me anymore. I guess he and Edward had a talk because he was actually quite nice in a strange way since I had only experienced the darker side of the Cullen patriarch.

Carlisle and I didn't really have a chance to talk alone but he asked me how school was going and if I had any plans for Thanksgiving, normal stuff like that and I kept up a conversation with him so my night was off to a good start.

By the time seven rolled around, the box was filled with cigar smoke, thanks to Edward, Jasper, Carlisle and Edward. Esme opened up the French doors so that we could sit outside on our own personal patio that overlooked the field.

Before the national anthem, the mayor came to actually talk to Carlisle like they were best friends and I was introduced like I was actually a part of the family. Some of Esme's friends came to say hi as well and I couldn't believe that people actually had this much money that they could dress so fashionably. I only thought that happened in movies.

I sat next to Alec on the comfortable sofa as Edward was trying to explain to us the rules. I knew some of them but I wasn't very up to date on baseball lingo.

"So…who's that?" Alec pointed to the man behind home plate.

"That's the catcher and the pitcher tries to put the ball right in his glove so that they can strike the hitter out." Edward said.

"And when you get three strikes, then you're out, right?"

"Exactly. See, it's not that hard."

Alec and Edward had this bond that I didn't know was possible in such a quick brotherly relationship. Alec was doing well and looked a lot healthier than he did the first time I met him but I could tell that he had a long way to go until he resembled a normal fourteen-year-old.

He told me when we were eating dinner that Esme and Carlisle had adopted him. Alec looked so happy when he was telling me that and it was almost impossible to dislike the kid because he was genuinely happy to be in a better position than he had been before.

"This is the playoffs so it's usually a big deal, only made bigger because we're playing the Yankees." Edward puffed on his cigar.

Alec looked at him with admiring eyes and I could tell that he thought of Edward as a role model. Maybe it was because they were both the youngest or maybe it was because Alec just seemed to mesh better with Edward than Emmett and Jasper but in any case, they seemed to have a strong bond with each other.

"Can…can I try?" Alec asked Edward as he saw him smoking his cigar.

Edward looked at him for a second and then handed it to him, "Don't tell Ma."

Alec took the cigar in between his lips and held it there before taking a drag. He shot up and threw the cigar back to Edward, crouching his way out of the room. Esme chased after him.

Edward rolled with laughter and was clutching his stomach.

"That wasn't funny." I said seriously, "He's going to be sick."

"Hell yeah he is. I threw up for three days after my first puff."

"You can't give him stuff like this and you shouldn't be smoking them either." I snatched the cigar out of his hand and stubbed it out in the ashtray on the table in front of us.

"That was hilarious." Edward calmed down.

"I hope Esme kicks your ass for that." I crossed my arms, "He's probably puking his guts out and you know he needs to keep every ounce of food down."

"I know but I couldn't resist."

The game started a couple minutes later and Alec came back, still sick to his stomach but getting better.

We all sat on the patio to watch the first inning and I never knew fans to be so vocal. There were Yankees shippers and White Sox shippers but they always made sure to let you know who they were cheering for.

By the time the fourth inning was over, the Sox were up by four runs and everyone was pleasantly surprised. Edward told me that never happened.

"Can I buy a souvenir?" I asked Edward who was staring intently at the game.

"Yeah." He pulled his wallet out without looking at me and retrieved a one hundred dollar bill, "Buy anything you want."

"I don't need your money." Edward just raised an eyebrow at me without saying anything, "Okay, fine." I got up from my seat and headed to the door.

"Let me come with you, Bella." Carlisle stood from his chair and held the door open for me.

"Uh…thanks." I walked out into the hallway.

"So, how are you liking the game?" Carlisle asked as we started walking.

"It's fun. I never thought I would say that about a sporting event."

"Well I'm glad you came."

"Really? I was under the impression that you didn't like me much."

"No, it's not that, I'm just very shielding when it comes to new comers to the family."

"Maybe this isn't my place to say but you weren't like that with Alice."

"No, I wasn't." He admitted, "Edward is just…different."

I decided not to ask any more questions because truthfully, I was just happy that Carlisle was talking to me at all and I was going to give Edward his chance to explain things later.

We walked out into what was known as the Hull and it was a large area where vendors sold shirts and other souvenirs along with food of classic Chicago sausages and pizza.

"What do you want?" Carlisle asked me, "Take your pick."

"I just wanted a shirt but Edward gave me a hundred so…"

"My son knows how to provide. Let's waste it on something stupid." He got a look in his eye like he was a kid. I never thought I would see this side of Carlisle but it was so easy and the air held no tension around us.

Carlisle and I spent ten minutes looking around and comparing prices before finding a nice man in a corner that had some pretty cheap stuff.

I ended up getting three shirts, one for Alice, Rose and myself along with a hat that was identical to mine so that I could shove it on Edward's head when I got back. Carlisle decided to get one of those big foam fingers for Alec and then two blow up bats for no other reason than to watch Emmett and Jasper fight with them. He said it was really amusing.

"Now, I'm hungry." He said as we started carrying our stuff back, "Let's stop and get some pizza."

"That's fine with me."

We went to the long line that was forming at one of the vendors who advertised 'The best pizza in Chicago' and Carlisle said that it was true so we were fine with waiting.

I never thought that I would have a conversation with Carlisle about anything because he just seemed so abrasive at first but now I saw the gentle side of him that everyone talked about. We found that we had a mutual love for some old rock bands and he even sung me a verse from AC/DC's _Highway to Hell_.

When he laughed, I could see the face that he gave Edward and everything about them was almost the same, except for their eyes and hair. Edward got those things from Esme but the majority of his features came from his father.

We had been waiting in line for about fifteen minutes, slowly inching forward when a loud laugh came from the other side of the Hull. It was one of those loud, drunk laughs that alerted everyone to its presence. And then, the laugh spoke.

"Carlisle!" A drunken blond man came stumbling towards us, "Carlisle Cullen. Hot damn, is that you?"

Carlisle pushed me behind him so quickly and smoothly that I almost didn't realize the shift of position.

The man was skinny but well built and long with shaggy hair that looked like wheat as it fell over his deep gray eyes, which I could see even from far away. I could already smell the booze on him but the man's clothes were perfectly intact, almost as pristine as Edward's would be but I don't think anyone could match Edward's fashion savvy.

"Carlisle, is that you?" The man pushed people out of the way, "I think it is."

Just like his son, Carlisle switched completely into business mode. He stood strong and rigid with a hard look on his beautiful face.

"Carlisle, why aren't you talking to me?" The man laughed and fell the last few steps forward, "I know it's you. I would be able to tell anywhere."

"James." Carlisle nodded, "It's good to see you again."

"You too old buddy." The man, whose name was obviously James, slapped him on the back, "I tried to get up to the box but those stupid ass bodyguards you have wouldn't even let me get a word in."

"That's what they're there for." Carlisle smiled tightly.

_Bodyguards? _

"They were being bitches." James took a long draw from a bottle of beer, "So, what you been up to? You get the last shipment I sent you?"

"I did and I sent my thanks." Carlisle replied and I could tell that he didn't particularly like this situation, "How are your siblings?"

"Oh, you know, Laurent's a bitch, Tanya's a bitch, and I'm just living life." He shouted.

"Lower your voice." He growled when he noticed that we were attracting attention.

"Why? This is a White Sox game." James started singing something undistinguishable and ended it in a laugh.

"Why don't you go back to your seat?"

"No, I came for some pizza." He shouted and then his head tilted to the side as he noticed me, "Hello." James sang creepily, "And who are you?"

"James, go back to your seat." Carlisle commanded to him and stood further in front of me.

"Stop cock blocking, Carlisle." James sidestepped him and held his hand out for me. I didn't really know what to do and just looked at him strangely.

"Bella, this is James, a family friend." Carlisle introduced me, "James, this is Bella, my niece."

I didn't bat an eyelash at the lie and just shook James' hand, "It's nice to meet you."

"A niece? Very nice." James disgustingly slinked his finger over my wrist.

Carlisle nearly snatched my hand out of James' hastily and I could see him gripping James' wrist like it was a stick, applying a painful amount of pressure.

"She's not a toy you can play with." He spoke softly but still had the face of calm.

"Why, is she spoken for?" James snarled.

"Yes so keep your hands to yourself."

"I can do what I want Carlisle. You might run everyone else but if my father was still alive, you'd be cowering in your boots."

"Your father was scum and that's why I kil…did what I did do him."

_What the hell was going on?_

It sounded like James and Carlisle knew each other but they were old time rivals or something like that. If one wasn't twenty or so years older than the other, they could have been college buddies.

It was obvious that Carlisle was in full control of this situation but James was fighting for dominance that he would never get. The weird thing was that no one seemed to be seeing the same thing I was. I looked around and people were either on their phones or impatiently waiting in a line that wasn't moving forward.

"I can do as I please." James ripped his hand from Carlisle's and turned back to me, "Do you want to go out sometime?"

"Uh…no." I answered, "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"I'm sure I can make you feel good." James reached around my body and squeezed my ass roughly, almost to the point that I yelped out in pain.

I heard a click and James grew inflexible before he even retracted his grasp from my butt. If I wasn't so close to Carlisle, I would have never noticed the golden gun that he was pointing at James' stomach. It was almost identical to the one I had seen in Edward's bathroom but two times bigger.

_What was with the gold guns?_

"I told you to keep your hands off of her." Carlisle growled, "If I ever see that type of behavior again, especially with a member of my family, I will blow your spleen clean out of your body. Do I make myself clear?"

James drunkenly nodded but didn't say anything.

"Don't ever speak to me again. If you have something to say then say it to my sons. This is why I don't deal with trash." Carlisle pushed James backwards and his hands were suddenly free from the gun.

James turned and took a swig of beer before stumbling away.

No one was the wiser as to what just happened and I felt like I was in a bubble.

Carlisle and I stood in line silently for another ten minutes before we could get our pizza and then carried it back to the box. Not one word was mentioned about the interaction that I just saw but some part of me knew that this wasn't something we would have a heart-to-heart about.

When we went back into the box, almost everything was the same as usual and the family was cheering for a White Sox win. I didn't really know what to do or if I should tell Edward but I kept my mouth shut.

"What did you get?" Edward asked me when I sat down.

"Lots of stuff." I replied but I wasn't really paying attention to our conversation.

"Good. I hope you spent all the money."

"Yeah and I got you a hat." I pulled it out of the bag.

"I don't wear hats, Bella." He looked at me jokingly.

"You'll wear this one." I put it on his head and made sure it wouldn't fall off, "You look cute."

"I bet." He rolled his eyes but didn't take the hat off of his head.

We watched the rest of the game but everyone could tell that something was off. Carlisle wasn't as he was before and Esme seemed to be calming him down.

By the time we all left the box, it was dark outside and we were all tired. Edward held my hand as we went down the elevators and when we were in the parking garage; Carlisle pulled him aside to talk. I didn't want to let go of Edward's hand because I knew he was going to be furious with the information he was receiving.

I watched from the car as his face turned an odd shade of dark purple and his fists bunched at his side. Edward's lips turned into one solid line and his eyes grew hard as stones. Even from far away, I felt a shiver of terror go up my body.

Edward ripped the car door open and slouched inside, igniting the engine without a word.

He spun out of the parking space easily and quickly with a scowl of the devil on his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly as we sped through traffic going out of Cellular Field.

"No, Bella. I'm not okay." He responded coldly, "I'm going to drop you off and then I have some things to take care of."

"Are you going to hurt him?"

I don't know why I asked that but I didn't want anyone getting harmed on my account. I figured Edward would do something rash in the heat of the moment.

"Yes." Edward said, not even bothering to lie.

"Are…are you going to kill him?" I knew he would and with the new evidence I had, it was a strong possibility in my mind that Edward had killed before.

"No, I can't, but I want to. He had no right to put his hands on you."

"He didn't know and Carlisle said I was his niece."

"He didn't know? That's no excuse. He shouldn't be touching anyone that way, especially you and he's going to never forget that." Edward growled.

"As much as I'm turned on by this possessive Edward, I don't think you need to do anything bad."

"I told you that I would explain things later but this is who I am. Someone did something bad and they have to pay for it." He said in a very black and white way.

"Pinching my ass wasn't that bad."

"You have no idea what the thoughts are in my head right now. I feel like I could rip this city apart." Edward stomped on the gas and we shot off.

We stayed quiet as Edward blasted through the roads and I couldn't tell what he was muttering under his breath but it sounded like a prayer.

We screeched to a halt in front of my dorm and he sighed before leaning back, "I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked

"I guess so." I shrugged.

"Good." He leaned over for a kiss, which I gave him but hesitantly.

"Don't hurt him." I got out of the car and shut the door.

I didn't even want to look backwards as I walked into my dorm and heard the car roar off down the road.

I swiped my card at the proctor station and got in the elevators.

The whole time I was going up, I was wondering what Edward might do to James. I had only just met the guy and I was scared for him. The way Edward drove told me how he was going to handle the situation but I hoped nothing bad happened because James got a little frisky. It wasn't worth it but something told me that Edward wasn't going to just let him walk away from this.

That night, I don't think I went to bed but I just tossed and turned so things were really blurry in my head.

I was scared. It was a plain and simple thing. I didn't know what Edward was going to do but I feared that he was going to get in trouble. He seemed like the kind of man who would do something rash to defend me or some macho shit like that.

To be honest, I didn't give a fuck about James but I didn't want Edward getting hurt.

I woke up the next morning and since it was Saturday, I didn't have much to do so I lazily stayed in bed. I was supposed to be meeting Edward today but I didn't know if that was going to happen. I still needed to think about things.

Around eleven, I got hungry and decided to go downstairs for some breakfast. By the time I was finished gorging myself on waffles and bacon, I wanted another nap.

I got out of the elevator and went to my door, unlocking it easily.

When I pushed myself into the room, I kicked something that wasn't hard but I could feel it. I turned on the lights and looked down at the CD case on the floor. I picked it up and rolled it in my hands.

I didn't remember leaving this on the floor and I don't even have any CD's so I was very concerned. Someone must have pushed it under the door.

I opened the case up and in big black letters was: _Watch me._

I was suspicious as I started my laptop and took off my jacket, sitting at the desk while I waited. As soon as it was ready to go, I put the CD in and waited for it to load.

Something about these past few days was making me very paranoid and I suddenly realized that hanging around with Edward was a liability.

Suddenly my screen went black and a grainy picture appeared on screen with the words _Nicola Rossini_ under it. The picture got smaller and moved to the top of the screen before a family tree began to branch out.

I saw a whole lot of men all with names and dates under them but I had no idea what I was looking at until I saw Carlisle. Under his name, Emmett, Jasper and Edward appeared. All the pictures were candid so that the subjects didn't know they were being photographed.

They vanished and the screen was filled with words like murder, illegal trading, drug dealing, corporate espionage, gambling, tax evasion, arson, grand theft auto and others, but I had to stop reading. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I should be questioning where this disk came from but I couldn't even think right.

There was newspaper articles that went back to the earliest part of the 20th century and in every headline were the name Cullen along with another charge that was suddenly dropped or forgotten about. Pictures were zoomed in on Carlisle talking or eating with some pretty ruthless looking men who all had last names like Volturi and Denali. I knew those names because of my father.

The Volturi's were a major mob family that did a lot of criminal activity around Seattle. The Denalis ran drug scams all up and down the west coast and were involved in a string of suspicious cases in California as well. Why would Carlisle be meeting with them?

There were pictures of Emmett, Jasper and Edward all holding guns and looking very suspicious. In some photos, they were bloodied and beaten but in others, they were clean cut with nothing more than a scratch on them.

The last thing I saw was a newspaper article from this morning, I had no idea how it was digitized so quickly but there it was. The story wasn't on the main page but was still pretty horrific in its details.

A man by the name of James Denali was found in a back alleyway late last night, alive but badly beaten. The weapon of choice was a thick, wooden baseball bat that was lying next to the victim, bloody and splintered.

James was beaten so badly that he was in critical condition at some hospital downtown. Both of his arms were broken, his right leg was completely shattered, he had bruises that were the size of watermelons, and his jaw was busted in three places. It had to be wired shut and doctors didn't know if he would ever be able to speak correctly again.

There were no suspects and no witnesses.

Things in my mind snapped together in a nano second.

I snatched the CD out of the holder and grabbed my jacket off of the bed, heading out of the door.

Edward and I needed to talk _now_.

* * *

**HOLY SHIT HITTING THE FAN BATMAN**

**OKAY SO I KNOW THAT I CUT IT OFF JUST AS IT WAS GETTING GOOD BUT I COULDN'T KEEP GOING. IT WAS GETTING OUT OF HAND SO NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE THE REAL REVELATION. IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD.**

**AS OF NOW, BELLA IS DOING PRETTY WELL I THINK WITH ALL OF THIS BUT IT WILL GET WORSE SO DON'T THINK WE'RE OUT OF THE FOREST YET.**

**MORE TO COME ON THE BLOG TONIGHT SO GO CHECK IT OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. I SUSPECT LOTS OF DISCUSSION. **

http:/johnnyboy1029 . blogspot . com

**OH AND THE LAST CHAPTER OF LDV WILL ALSO BE UP TONIGHT! **


	23. Chapter 22

The Definition of Rage and Love

EDWARD POV

_Love is a sacred reserve of energy; it is like the blood of spiritual evolution__"- __Teilhard de Chardin _

All things Twilight Related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I leaned my head against the tile of the shower as I let the hot water glide over my body.

It had been a rough night and I was just getting in.

After I dropped Bella off at her dorm, I was running on rage and tracked James down like the fucker he was. I didn't know what was wrong with me but after my father told me what happened at the baseball game, I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I had to literally down a whole bottle of anxiety so that I didn't massacre everyone around me.

Even though I didn't see the interaction between James and Bella last night, just the images going through my head were enough to set me off. His hand gripping, squeezing, pinching her ass were too much. That ass was mine. I had pounded into it over my fucking desk and he had the nerve to even look at Bella? Needless to say, I was livid.

I left Bella at her dorm and drove through the streets to James' favorite bar on the other side of town where he usually frequents after a baseball game. Emmett and Jasper were already there waiting to control me because they knew that I was working on animal instincts at this point.

I had never in my life been so possessive, so overprotective of a woman and this was all new to me but I was willing to kill for Bella. James had no right even speaking her name so I was going to make sure he knew to cross the street if he saw her coming near him. He was never going to forget who she belonged to.

I knew I sounded like some macho, jackass who was living off of cavemen ideals but I couldn't help it. I had rage going through me that I couldn't control and it was impossible to reel myself back in. My body was being pupated by the devil as he directed the evil out of me.

Emmett, Jasper and I walked straight through the back of the bar and grabbed James before he could even look up. My brothers were just there to make sure I didn't kill the fucker but I would have done so easily if they weren't present.

I shoved James outside and just basically laid into him with all my strength. My fists were still raw and my knuckles were throbbing but I didn't care. Apparently, Carlisle had made up some lie as to how Bella was his niece or something and that was all James kept muttering but I beat the dude to a bloody pulp and left him there. Just to add a certain touch of drama, I brought a baseball bat, ironic I know, but at least he wouldn't forget this particular game. I just thrashed him until he stopped moving.

I wouldn't let Emmett or Jasper help me.

I was surprised that Laurent wasn't around or I would have had to deal with him too.

_Bring it!_

I knew this had the potential of starting some kind of mob war but no one really liked the Denalis. One less of them wasn't going to upset the status quo we had created.

That was a couple of hours ago and I had to just drive so my mind was right and try to understand what was going on with me.

With my photographic memory, I was able to deliver Freud's view on jealousy perfectly.

"_Jealousy is defined as an emotional state that is aroused by a perceived threat to a relationship or position. It motivates behaviors that counter the threat. Jealousy is a reaction related to fear and rage, and it makes one want to protect, maintain, and prolong the association of love." _

I raised my head when I was done with my recitation and water stung my eyes but I didn't care.

There was that word again: love.

I dug deeper into my brain to find the Webster's definition.

"_A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person." _I muttered to myself.

So…according to Webster, I loved Bella.

Is that why I was so furious at the thought of some other man putting his hands on her? Is that why my heart nearly stopped beating every time she smiled? Was that why I couldn't get her out of my head?

I shut off the shower and beat my head against the tile harder to clear my mind.

"I love Bella." I said it out loud and groaned, "I can't love her but I do."

I was horrible with emotions, I really was and hated to say that but I have no capacity to love. My life didn't allow it.

Just like it was said in one of my favorite movies, _Heat, _"Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner."

Could I walk out on Bella in thirty seconds?

I wouldn't, I couldn't but how was I supposed to do this?

Frankly, I was surprised that I had lasted this long in a relationship. I never thought it would happen but I did have the capacity to be normal. I hadn't had the wandering eye since meeting Bella. No other woman seemed as beautiful or worth my time when I was with her.

Bella just made me feel…good and I liked who I was when we were together. I wanted to be a better man for her and I wanted to do right by her. Was that love?

I didn't know what to think or what was becoming of me. I had been the man who could just push all emotions out and think solely on impulse. I had a sharp mind that was unclouded by feelings and that helped me in this business. Now what did I do? I had something that I couldn't' lose and wouldn't give up.

"I'm so fucked." I groaned and stepped out of the shower.

I pulled a towel out of the cabinet and wrapped it around my waist before going into my bedroom to get dressed. I decided to just step in a pair of black, silk boxers since it was still early in the morning and I didn't have anywhere to be until later. I didn't know what we were doing today but I would call Bella when I figured she would be awake. Currently, it was eleven thirty and a Saturday.

I walked downstairs and looked around for something to do. The urge to clean something was strong but I fought it, grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniels and sitting on the couch to unwind.

As soon as my lips hit the rim of the bottle, there was a banging on my door that could wake the dead. I choked down the whiskey and glared behind me.

"What the hell…" I stomped towards the door and ripped it open, ready to curse the fuck out of someone but my demeanor dropped when I saw Bella standing there.

"We need to talk." She pushed herself into my apartment.

"Uh…is something wrong?" I shut the door.

"Did you send me this?" She held up a CD case.

"No, what is it and why do you look so pissed?"

"You!" Bella screamed and pointed at me accusingly, "Tell me right now where you went last night after you dropped me off."

My defensive side was coming out, "I don't like your tone." I set the bottle down on the counter in front of me, "I don't have to answer to you."

"Edward Cullen, I swear to God…" She grabbed her hair, "Did you send this to me?" Bella asked again.

"No." I tried to snatch from her but she was quick, "Bella, what's wrong with you?"

"Edward, I need you to be honest with me because I'm so confused right now." Bella was panting and pacing like she was having a seizure, "What did you get me mixed up in?"

"Bella, just talk to me." I was kind of worried that she might pass out and moved towards her but she backed up, appearing frightened, so I stopped.

"Don't touch me."

"Why?"

"You have so much blood on your hands, it's disgusting." Bella's eyes told me everything I needed to know.

I swallowed the golf ball in my throat and my head was thumping so loudly that I almost couldn't hear, "What do you know?"

"I know that you're a very…bad man." Bella handed me the CD with shaking hands, "You have lots of explaining to do and I want answers…now." She stressed.

I took the CD from her and Bella's eyes shifted to the wounds on my knuckles. I caught her eyebrows scrunch together in worry but she quickly put back up her face of anger.

"Who sent you this?" I asked, all pretenses gone.

"I don't know and I barely understand what's on it." She exhaled heavily.

"Follow me." I instructed and turned my back, climbing the stairs to my library. I didn't know if she was following me but I needed to see what was on this disc.

I had a sneaking suspicion of what it was but I prayed that this CD did hold such detrimental information. I wasn't ready to tell her, not yet.

I hurriedly went into the library and pulled my laptop out of the first drawer of my desk. Bella was standing against the door with a neutral look on her face.

"Are you scared of me?" I asked and turned my computer on.

"Yes." She replied sadly, "I know it's all true. I've known or at least, I've theorized but I hoped that it was just my imagination."

I nodded, not saying anything and hung my head because for the first time in my life, I was ashamed of who I had become.

The computer was fired up and I took a deep breath, putting the CD in the holder. When the first picture came up of Great Grandpa Rossini, I shut my eyes angrily and couldn't see anymore.

This was the same instructional video that they showed at the police academy. This was what new recruits saw when they were trained to spot the big, bad Cullens. The officers in the Organized Crime division knew this video by heart and they were the only ones who had copies.

This was dirty cop work.

When I opened my eyes again, the CD was halfway through and Bella was standing closer to my desk.

"Please tell me it's not true." Her voice cracked.

"I told you I was a monster."

Bella took deep breaths as she swayed and stumbled away from me, "No, I don't believe you. I _won't _believe you."

"Bella, listen to me. I know you're scared right now but I need to explain some things to you." I stood up slowly.

"How could you be that person? What about Carlisle and Emmett and Jasper?" She shouted, "You're all killing machines!"

"No we're not." I lied and tried to find synonyms for what I would categorize myself as, "It's just who I am, who I was raised to be."

"I saw the gun but I convinced myself that it was something else." Bella spoke to herself, "How could I be so stupid?"

I used this time to walk around the desk lightly and as soon as she noticed me, she backed the hell up against one of the bookcases.

"I can't do this, Edward. I never asked for any of this." Bella whispered clearly scared and I saw tears run down her cheeks. It was such a sad and beautiful site at the same time.

"I know and I'm sorry. I told you, I tried to warn you but…" My sentence trailed off.

"I asked you from the beginning and I never thought that it was this bad. A mob family? How could you do this?"

"Don't question it like that Bella."

"What am I supposed to do?" She screamed, "My father is a fucking cop and you knew, didn't you?" Bella shoved me hard in the chest.

"Yes, Carlisle did a background check."

"This whole time, you and everyone else knew. You put me in danger and didn't even warn me. All the guns, the sneaky phone calls and the money. You have so much money and I knew that it was something like this."

"Then why are you freaking out?" I asked lamely.

"Because I'm scared, Edward. I don't know the man on that video. He's a fucking killer and that's not who you are. Where is the guy I fell in love with?"

It was my turn to be scared.

I stepped back like I was hit by a freight train from her words.

_She loved me? _

"Wh…what did you just say?" I asked in nothing more than a whisper.

"I…I…nothing" Bella ran out of the room so quickly that I didn't have time to catch her.

It took me a couple of seconds to regain my bodily functions and followed after her quickly, "Bella, wait!" I called but she was already gone.

I rushed swiftly but I had no use of catching up as I her bound out of the penthouse.

I watched the doors of the elevators close on her tear stained face but I wasn't letting her go just yet. We needed to talk about things so in my boxers and nothing else, I slammed the door to the stairs open. I ran down the steps at lightning speed until I hit the floor below and sprinted into the hall to catch another elevator.

I pressed the button like a maniac, "Come on, come on." I groaned and fleetingly recognized that I was chasing after a woman in my underwear but I didn't care. Bella was too good to let go and I had some things to say. I was going to make her see that I could be what she needed.

The elevator opened and I jumped in while pressing the bottom floor button. I was probably about ten seconds behind Bella but I knew that the penthouse lift went slower than the rest of them.

I tapped my foot annoyingly as I went down. The elevator stopped on the tenth floor but I didn't let the doors open. I descended without interruptions this time and darted out into the marble lobby without caring that I was basically naked.

I looked around frantically and several people's jaws dropped when they saw me.

I went to the reception desk, "Derek, did you see Bella? Which way did she go?" I asked frantically.

"Uh…out the door to the left, sir."

I ran out of the door.

"You don't have any clothes on, sir." He called after me.

"I know." I shouted back and pushed myself into the near freezing, late October air.

People looked at me like I was crazy as I moved through the crowds, searching for Bella.

My balls were shrinking in my boxers, my feet were almost bleeding from the cold cement, my entire body was shaking but I didn't feel any pain. I never did.

Bella was trying to hail a cab on the sidewalk and even though I couldn't see her face, I could tell that she was still crying from her body position.

I moved faster, trying to catch her before a taxi stopped.

She must have sensed me because Bella started walking further down the street without even turning around to notice that I was behind her. People were gawking and pointing and whispering. I wanted to just tell them all to fuck off.

"Bella!" I shouted at her and pushed a fat man out of the way who was yelling on his phone.

She turned around at her name and stared at me with wide eyes, backing into the street without even noticing it.

My heart stopped beating completely as I saw a delivery truck speeding towards her. The driver was bending down, trying to pick something up off of the floor and wasn't stopping for anything.

I was too far away to catch her.

"Bella!" I shouted and kept running but I wasn't going to make it.

_Where was that fucking bodyguard? It was time for him to earn all that money I was paying him. _

I dug deep and pushed myself harder than I ever had in my life. I wasn't going to let her go without hearing those three words again.

I didn't even think as I ran into the street and slid over the hood of two taxis so that I could cut across the street. Cars screeched to a halt in front of me and I jumped over a bike messenger who had crashed to the floor.

Bella was still backing away from me but I was faster. I pushed her out of the trucks' path, with a hard shove but wasn't fast enough to move myself.

My body was struck with the force of a real freight train this time as I was thrown across the frozen ground of the street. I slammed into the rear windshield of a parked car and felt the splintering glass cut the flesh of my back. I rolled over lazily and hit the pavement hard.

I was in and out of consciousness as I heard screams mixed with yelling and honking but the only voice I wanted to hear was Bella's.

"Edward, are you okay?" I felt soft touches on my face, "Oh my God."

"No police." I muttered through my thick throat, "There can't be any police."

"I know, I know. Just stay right there." I felt Bella's lips in my hair.

"Are you okay?" I gasped out as my chest constricted.

"I'm fine. Why did you do that? You're so fucking stupid." She kissed my head more furiously, "I'll be right back."

I grabbed for her and a searing shot of pain ripped through my side, "Bella, don't go." I held onto her hand like a fucking pussy.

"I'm not going anywhere." She kissed my forehead, "I'm just calling Jasper."

I was slipping into blackness as I heard her voice talking quickly.

There were a lot of logistical errors that went with all of this and I prayed that things wouldn't get blown out of proportion. The cops and the ambulance would have already been called but I needed to make sure that I wasn't taken in under them. They would ask questions and once Black and his fucking goons knew that I was in an accident, they would use it to trap me, saying I was jaywalking or something. They would have me arrested and go from there.

We already had a group of doctors that were employed especially for us so we didn't have to step foot in a hospital. I had never seen a real doctor in my entire life and my "medical chart" for school was completely fabricated. I had no true official records.

"Eddy, what the hell?" Emmett's voice was in my ear, "You chased after a girl in your underwear and then got hit? I swear…" He lifted me up easily and I would guess that this site was one for the history books.

"Where's Bella?" I shifted my head to the side and my eyes were starting to readjust.

"I'm right here." She said from somewhere behind Emmett.

"Dad is going to kill us." Emmett said and I felt the air grow suddenly warmer. I guessed we were inside.

"What the fuck happened?" Jasper's voice said.

"Go do damage control." Emmett pushed him out of the door and lifted me into the elevator.

I think I blacked out but wasn't sure. All I know is that when I came to, I was laying on the couch in my penthouse.

Bella was dabbing my forehead with a warm cloth and her eyes looked pained to the point that her hurt was mine. She had a gash across her left cheek that didn't look that deep and it was covered in surgical tape.

"You're so stupid." Bella breathed a laugh.

"Are you okay?" I tried to sit up but she pushed me back down.

"I'm fine but you're not." She continued to wipe my forehead, "You have a concussion and your back looks like you were attacked by a wild animal. Your chest is all bruised."

"How can I be the stupid one when you stepped out into the street?" I chuckled painfully.

"You ran after me in your boxers. That's stupid."

"I had to catch you. I have some things to explain and I didn't want you running off."

"You should have just let me go." She squeezed my hand.

"I haven't ever run that fast."

"I don't know what to make of that video but…I meant what I said. I love you." Bella smiled sadly and it looked like she was about to cry again.

I was about to say it, I really was but there was suddenly a lot of noise in my apartment.

"Where is he?" Carlisle bellowed.

"Dad, he's fine. The doctor said he's just got a few bruises and cuts." Jasper replied.

"I don't care about that. Edward?" He shouted.

"Over here, Dad." I raised my arm so that he could see me from the couch.

"Do you know how idiotic you were?" He came to stand in front of me, "I have about one hundred people out there asking questions and I can't shut them up."

"Who cares, Carlisle." Esme pushed him out of the way, "Are you okay, sweetheart. What would posses you to dash into the street like that? I thought I taught you better."

"I was running after something." I looked at Bella.

"It was kind of badass if you think about it." Emmett laughed, "I'm writing this one down for the grandkids."

"Shut up." Rose slapped the back of his head.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Esme asked.

"He's fine, Mrs. Cullen." My doctor, Dr. Robbins, said as he appeared from the kitchen, "Edward has the uncanny ability to come out of situations better than he should. He can't sleep for twenty-four hours so we can make sure he doesn't slip into a coma from that nasty concussion but besides that, he's good old Edward. I bandaged the scrapes on his back as well."

"What were you thinking?" My father accosted me.

"Lay off." I muttered, "I wasn't thinking."

"That seems to be happening a lot these days." He huffed and sat in a chair.

Bella had never left my side throughout all of this and didn't shift her eyes from mine for more than a second.

"We have bigger problems." I moved to swing my legs over the couch and sat up this time. My head spun slightly but I was fine for the most part.

"Really? I can't think of any." Carlisle rolled his eyes.

"Bella knows." I spoke firmly, "Someone sent her a video of us and she put things together."

Everyone grew silent and the tension in the air multiplied tenfold.

"She's seen everything." I clarified.

"I think we need to go clean up." Esme began pushing people out of the room. Rose, Emmett, Alec, Jasper and Alice, who I hadn't seen until now, were shoved up the stairs. Dr. Robbins packed up quickly and left.

It was just Carlisle in his seat across from Bella and me on the couch. I took her hand in mine because we both needed support right now.

"How?" He asked.

"I got a CD under my door this morning and it had a video on it about you guys." Bella shrugged hesitantly, "I don't even know who gave it to me."

"It was Black. The video was the same one from the crime division." I said angrily.

"She knows." My father repeated, "And what do you think about this life, Bella?"

"I…I don't know. I always suspected something but I could have never imagined that it was…this big." She spoke softly.

"Are you scared?" Carlisle grinned in a sickening way.

Bella lifted her head and gave him a glare that could peal the paint off of the walls, "No. I understand that I'm not in the most opportune situation and I don't even know what to make about all of this but…I love your son." She said without faltering.

He sighed heavily and ran his hands through his hair, which I hated that I picked up, "Bella, against my better judgment, I'm going to tell you some things but I want you to know that…for some reason, I trust you and I don't do that easily."

"I understand." She nodded, "And I promise that I won't say anything but I just want some answers."

"I know but you have to understand that if anything I say leaves this room, I will be forced to take action." His eyes hardened and my fist tightened into rocks.

Carlisle was threatening her and I wasn't going to have that.

I was about to say something but Bella unfolded my hand, intertwining our fingers, "I understand." She repeated.

"I need your blood." He leaned in, taking a small dagger out of his coat pocket.

"No." I stood up too quickly and stumbled but Bella caught me, "She doesn't need to do that. We can trust her." I almost pleaded.

"Edward, I've never done this before and I know how much you…care for Bella." He chose his words carefully, "I'm willing to accept her into this world if she is willing to listen."

"No, I'll explain things to her."

"You know I can't do that, Edward." Carlisle said.

"I'm right here and I can make decisions for myself." Bella pushed me back on the couch, "What do I have to do?"

"Usually, Blood Oaths are used to solidify a tie to a family. In this case, us." My father answered her question, "I don't allow people into my life easily but I have a feeling you might be around for a while and if you truly love my son then you will honor this oath."

"You don't have to do this. I just met you for Christ sake and you don't want to know…" I spoke quickly, trying to will Bella away from this life. I wasn't sure why.

"I want to see what you're all about for myself and if that includes some oath, then that's what I'm going to do." Bella said firmly with a single head nod.

"She sounds like your mother." Carlisle chuckled to me, "Bella, normally, this would be done if you and Edward were getting married but I can bend the rules as I want and since you seem to know so much already, I think you need to get the facts and not some fabricated lie from the police department. May I have your hand please?"

Bella shockingly gave him her hand, palm up like she already knew what was coming.

The dagger rapidly swiped across the center of her hand and I squeezed her knee tightly when I saw her shudder from the blood loss but she didn't whimper or say anything.

Carlisle took a handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it into her palm, staining the fabric red.

"Where shall I begin?" My father sat back in his chair, wiping the knife off on his pants.

Everyone was called back down so that we could do all of this in one big swoop. Alec and Alice needed to hear this all too. After Alice's blood oath was performed, Carlisle began his long tale.

It took nearly the whole day but he didn't leave out one detail, which I was surprised at. It seemed like my father actually trusted the new comers to our group. Alice had heard abridged versions of all of this before and Bella had seen the pictures so they weren't taken completely by surprise but I could tell that Bella was scared.

I held her hand the entire time, still in my boxers, as the minutes turned into hours.

She didn't move or blink for that matter. I watched her the entire time my father kept on with his storytelling.

He didn't shy away from what the Cullens did and what we were all about. I knew I was going to have to fill in some of the gaps from my side but Carlisle was doing a pretty good job of making us seem like bastards. He left out everything about me being the second in line and things like that because I knew he wanted me to tell her.

Like it was destiny or some kind of sign, the sun set over the cityscape as Carlisle finished his tale.

"And that's who we are." He clapped his hands nonchalantly, "Any questions?"

"This isn't a college lecture, Carlisle." My mother sighed and took Bella's hand, "I know that it's a lot to take in and it might not make sense but we aren't really that bad. It's just in our blood."

Bella finally breathed, "I need to think." She got up from her seat and went to the liquor cabinet before pulling out a bottle of Grey Goose and then heading onto the balcony, shutting the doors behind her.

"Well that went well." Jasper snickered.

"Is she going to tell on us?" Alec asked, slightly worried.

Everyone looked to me.

I didn't answer and got off of the couch, heading to follow her.

I found Bella basically gulping down the bottle of vodka like a pro. I shut the doors quietly and the wind was raging around us.

"Why do you do it?" She asked when her lips were free from the bottle.

I sat across from her, "Because I have to."

"That's not what I meant. I was…wondering _how_ you could do all this? Your whole life is an illegal lie."

"I never claimed to be perfect but…I enjoy what we do. I like killing people, Bella." I decided to just put it all out there, "I like scaring the hell out of my enemies and making them fear my family. "

Bella looked at me deeply, "Did Carlisle push you into all of this?"

"No, he never did and never would but we always knew we would follow him. I wanted this from the time I was ten."

She closed her eyes, "I'm so stupid. How the hell did I get myself mixed up in this?"

"I don't know but I…don't want you to leave." I admitted pathetically, "I love you." I said unsurely but didn't feel any different.

_Should I? _

She snorted and took another gulp of vodka, "You don't love me."

"That wasn't the reaction I was expecting." I sighed.

"What do you want me to say? My entire mind is screaming at me to just leave all of this behind and I know I took that stupid Blood Oath thing and I shouldn't even be talking to you right now and I'm trying so hard to look past all of this and I can't wrap my mind around some of it…" She took a breath, "…but I can't stop my feelings for you and it scares the hell out of me."

"I don't want that and I tried to get you to leave but you wouldn't." I moved closer to her, "I never wanted any of this for you."

"Then why didn't you tell me anything before I got so deep?" Bella threw the half finished bottle of vodka onto the stone balcony and it shattered into a thousand pieces. She was pissed as hell.

"I don't know." I said stupidly.

"You don't know?" She stood up, "I want to walk out that door right now but I can't because I don't want this to be over. No matter what you do or who you are, I can't stop loving you and it's killing me." Bella panted heavily.

"I meant what I said." I took her hand softly in mine and she didn't jerk away so I pulled her towards me, "I think I love you."

"What does that mean?"

"I think I love you and I don't really know how I should feel or what I need to do to show you that but I do."

Bella looked at me with such confusion in her eyes that I was almost started to question myself.

"What makes you say that?" She asked quietly.

"According to Webster, love is defined as a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person." I repeated the words from this morning.

She choked out a laugh, "You're thinking too much. How do you feel?" Bella sat in my lap and placed a hand over my heart.

"I…feel like I need to protect you all the time and see you all the time and _be _with you all the time. I'm pathetic." I hung my head in shame.

"No matter what you are, you're not pathetic." She lifted my head back up, "As much as I hate what you do, if that's what comes with you then that's something I have to deal with. You just took me by surprise with all of this."

I don't think I heard her right and I almost didn't know how to react to her statement.

"I have…problems Bella." I said slowly so that she understood.

"I know."

"I'm seriously messed up. I have OCD that should be in a textbook, I have a photographic mind that scares me sometimes and on top of all that, I use drugs, I kill for a living, I ship illegal products to different countries. Need I go on?"

"I think I realize that you come with a lot of baggage." She played with my fingers, "I can't just walk away from you."

"Thank God." I sighed and closed my eyes as her lips softly met mine.

What started out as something fairly chaste, turned violently passionate as her tongue licked my bottom lip. My hands bolted themselves into her hair as I pulled her closer to me and I kept a firm hold as I laid us down on the comfortable chaise lounge outside, my body covered hers.

She let out a moan of pure pleasure that spurred me on further.

"Just coming to check on you two…" My mother came out onto the balcony, "Oh, sorry. Do you want a condom?"

"Ma, leave." I said through kisses and Bella's giggles.

"Well to be honest, you shouldn't be dry humping her with everyone still inside." Esme huffed.

"Leave." I said more sternly.

"Are you sure everything's alright?" She moved closer, "I think you're crushing her."

"I'm fine, Esme." Bella said from under me, "And yes, we're fine."

"Good, then I want to talk to the both of you." She sat in a chair and I reluctantly rolled off Bella, pulling a pillow over my raging hard cock.

"What is it?" I asked in a funk and Bella hit my knee.

"I wanted to say that I'm proud of you two for making it this far." She smiled motherly at the both of us, "I know that young love is quick and sometimes it doesn't always work but I see a determination in both of your eyes that's indescribable."

"How did you…get over all of this?" Bella asked her cautiously.

Esme laughed softly, "Bella, sweetheart, I was born into all of this."

"Do we have to get into this now?" I groaned.

"I want to know." Bella interjected.

"Well, my father was an Irish mobster out of Boston." Esme sat back, "He moved my mother and me to the states when I was three from Dublin and we were just one of his many families around the world. He wasn't a very nice man but everyone was scared of him."

"So, you're not Italian?" Bella quirked an eyebrow.

"Don't tell anyone but not fully." She laughed, "I'm actually about one-eight. I spoke with an Irish accent until I was ten." She replied, "But I went to college in Chicago and that's how I met Carlisle. I knew who he was of course, everyone knew who he was but there was just something about him that…I couldn't stay away from."

All three of us nodded in understanding.

"Carlisle was young back then and had no desire to follow in his father's footsteps, who was still alive at the time. He wanted to be a doctor if you can believe it." My mother's eyes grew sadder at the lost possibilities, "He was rebellious and dating the daughter of a rival crime lord was about as far off the rocker as you could get but he was determined to leave all of this behind. We had dreams of moving to Australia or someplace like that, away from everyone."

"What happened?" Bella asked, totally engrossed in my mother's tale.

"His father was murdered." Esme sighed, "Carlisle took over and there was no leaving after that. We got married within the next year, not caring that I was crossing lines and…here we are."

"Wow, what did your father say?"

"Carlisle killed my father." Esme thought out loud, "It was about six months after we got married. He came to get me back because he said I was a traitor to the family. Carlisle warned him to stay away but my father was stubborn and he felt like a fool so he threatened me. Well, Carlisle was less than pleased and took care of it."

"How did you feel?"

"Relieved, free, grateful. Like I said, my father was not a nice man to me or my mother. I know this sounds horrible but I had to make a choice. I was in love with Carlisle more than you can possibly imagine, I still am and even though we weren't in the most amazing of situations, I wasn't going to leave him. It was either my father or Carlisle."

Esme got up from her seat and smoothed out her clothes, "Just remember that love might not conquer all but you have to fight for what you want, especially in our world. Don't let Carlisle rule your life." She kissed Bella's forehead and then mine before leaving us alone outside.

"They've made it work." I said hopefully.

"I know." She breathed through her nose and then turned to me, "I need to be familiar with everything. I understand that you will have to keep some secrets and I don't expect you to tell me about your day-to-day business but I need to understand the big picture. Who are you?"

I took her hand and lifted us off the lounge, taking her inside. I bypassed the rest of my family who were flitting around the apartment, not paying attention to us. I climbed the stairs and took Bella into the library before shutting the door.

"It seems like every time I come in here, something important happens." Bella shivered.

"I need to show you what I do." I went to retrieve a ladder and pulled it towards the last bookcase on the left, scaling it easily until I reached the tenth shelf up. I tugged on a tattered copy of _Guns, Germs and Steel._

The bookcase behind my desk rose without a sound and I climbed back down the ladder.

I know it was corny and cliché but I couldn't help adding it into this place when I furnished it.

"What is this?" Bella stayed in the middle of the room.

I went towards the massive vault that was taller than I was, and put in the key code before it clicked open. I swung the heavy metal door aside and the lights inside flickered on. I turned back to her.

"Come here." I nodded towards the door.

She walked slowly until she was next to me and peeked into the vault.

"Oh my God." She stepped inside.

"There are 1,598 guns, explosives, pistols and semi-automatics in here." I followed her inside where my impressive firepower collection was on display.

There were guns hooked to the walls and on tables and in drawers and in cases and…just everywhere.

"This is what I'm trained in." I shrugged.

"How many people have you killed?" She walked around in a daze.

"A lot"

"I need a number, Edward. I know you know the exact number."

"Since I was thirteen, just over a thousand."

Bella stared at me for a long second before resuming her inspection, "How can you just kill like that? Do you care at all?"

"Not really? I used to but I got over that quickly. Jasper is the only one who kind of feels something out of all of us. We all have a certain immunity to other people's pain."

"Do you enjoy killing?"

"Yes." I admitted without shame, "But I don't just kill anyone, only people who do me wrong."

"What about Alec? Does he…do this? Did he have a choice?"

"Yes, he had a choice and we've taken him out so he can see what we do but he hasn't killed yet. It's coming though."

Bella picked up a standard, match, USP pistol that was completely black with a ribbed grip. It was one of my favorites.

"My father has one of these." She said.

"The police use it." I replied.

"And you knew he was a cop?"

"Yes."

"And you still stayed with me?"

"I can't blame you for who your father is."

"We're going to have to be careful." She set the gun down, "Good thing I've never mentioned you before."

"He'll know who I am." I nodded.

"I'm so going to hell for this." Bella walked up to me and kissed my lips strongly, "But I don't care. Call me a rebellious teenager but I'm not letting you go."

We stayed in that gun cabinet and kissed the hell out of each other for the better part of an hour, making one my strongest fantasies come true although it would have been better if we were naked but I wasn't going to push into that realm so soon after her learning I was a monster.

By the time we were finished with our hot as fuck kissing session, my dick was painfully hard and Bella had bite marks up and down her neck.

"I didn't mean to be so rough." I lightly kissed a bruise and moved her shirt to the side.

"I'm fine." Bella looked around as I pulled away from her. She was sitting on the table in the middle of the room and I was nudged in between her legs.

"So…are you okay?" I asked.

"With what, the fact that my boyfriend is in the mafia or the fact that I'm making out in a gun vault?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Both I guess."

"It will just take me some time. You're not any different and I need to get used to that. You just have an unusual job." She nodded to herself, trying to convince us both of her logic.

"That's right." I agreed. I was going to leave out all the _Il__ Principe _stuff until later. I didn't want to overwhelm her so quickly.

"You're no different than you were two days ago." Bella sighed deeply.

"I'm your same Edward." I kissed her again.

That night, my family left around ten and no one really even acknowledged the fact that we had just basically divulged our entire life to two new people. Somehow, it didn't seem like the world was going to end. Even though Bella was a little hesitant around us, she didn't really show it.

My father was the last one to leave and I shut the door behind him, thankful that this day was over.

My body still hurt like a bitch and every time I moved my neck, a pain went through my spine but the doctor said that I would be fine so I didn't worry about it. I couldn't go to sleep that night so I planned on staying up and drinking, which was against medical orders but I didn't give a shit.

"Do you want to stay here tonight?" I asked Bella when we were both sitting on the sofa.

"I think I'll go home." She said, "Not because I'm scared of you, because I'm not." Bella quickly replied, "But I need to get some rest."

"Okay." I took a sip of Johnny Walker.

"It's not because of you, really. I just didn't sleep last night and I know we have to get up early for church and then there's that Halloween party so…"

"I understand. I'll have my driver take you home." I called downstairs and arranged everything within seconds.

"You'll pick me up bright and early?" Bella asked as we stood at the door.

"Of course and thank you for being so understanding."

"If I was a normal girl, I would have run out of here hours ago." She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, "I just need to get used to all of this."

"Nothing will change except for the fact that now when I get calls in the middle of the night; you'll know that I'm going to take care of family business and not with some other woman."

"I was never worried about that." She ran a hand over my chest, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What did you do to James?"

I swallowed a lump in my throat and debated if I should tell her the truth or not, "Uh…well I had to teach him a lesson."

"So you beat the hell out of him?"

"Yes." I answered simply.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"I should have killed him. Why didn't you tell me what he did to you?"

"It wasn't that big a deal. Guys get grabby a lot and I just push them off but it always happens."

"Are you serious?" I growled, "That's unacceptable. No one should be touching you but me."

"As nice as that sounds, you can't keep every guy away from me."

"Like hell I can't." I took a deep drink, trying to calm myself.

"Okay, I think that's enough of this." Bella took it from me and set it on the in table, "You can be protective without going ape shit on everyone."

"That's not who I am. When I get possessive, I…I can't even explain it." I trapped Bella against the door with my hands, "Especially when it comes to you."

She bit her bottom lip in the most seductive way, "That's kind of hot."

"I have never had these feelings before and jealousy is one of my many flaws. I don't take lightly to people playing with my toys." I kissed her lips.

"I need to go and you're trying to trap me here." She breathed heavily.

"You can go whenever you please."

She didn't push me off so I dove for her neck.

All too soon, Bella suddenly got some sense back into her brain.

"Edward, I really have to go. It's already past midnight and we have church."

I sighed and stepped back reluctantly, "I never thought I would hear you become an advocate for religion."

"If that's what I have to do then I'm going to do it." She opened up the door, "Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella." I kissed her forehead.

I was tempted to say 'I love you' but I still needed to think about that. There was no doubt in my mind that theoretically, I loved her but what did I feel? It was too much for me to think about with a bruised body and boozed up brain.

I watched her until she was in the elevator and then closed the door.

The first thing I did was call my father.

"_Hello." _He picked up.

"We need to find out who sent that to Bella." I combed my hair with my hand and sat on the couch.

"_I know it was Black but I just don't see how. I have two men watching Bella and they didn't see him anywhere near her in the past two weeks." _

"Undercover goon?"

"_That would be my guess but he's never used them before."_

"It could be anybody. How do we weed them out? He could have guys all over Bella and we wouldn't even know."

"_We'll have to do this the old fashioned way. It's obvious that he got that disk up there somehow so we'll work backwards." _

"You're calling the shots, I guess but when it comes to Bella, I need to make sure that she's safe. If we have people who can get to her then she's vulnerable to everyone out there."

"_I know and I'm hoping that no one has discovered her but that stunt you pulled with James last night won't go unnoticed by Aro. He follows the Denali's every move and he will suspect who caused that kid's damage. If Aro doesn't know about Bella now, it's only a matter of time. She's in a lot of danger." _

"I know, I know. Question though, if you have two fucking men watching her then why was I the one who had to pull her out of the street?"

"_First of all, don't curse at me and secondly, they are instructed to keep a distance unless someone threatens Bella. It was my instruction for them to stay as far away from her as possible." _

"What good are they if they can't help? I have cuts all over my body." I raised my voice.

"_I understand that but they were doing their job. Don't blame them." _

"I think I need to have a talk with them."

"_Let me handle it. Bella's safety is now a matter of importance to all of us." _

Carlisle and I hung up after another ten minutes of strategizing Bella's safety.

I sat on the sofa, looking out of the window while drinking my bottle of whiskey the entire night. I didn't move, I barely blinked and I don't think I even breathed.

The sun rose around six-thirty and I heaved myself up to take a shower.

I turned the water to a near burning temperature and just stood there, not caring to actually move my tired muscles. The cuts on my back stung like a bitch. I had trained my body to work without sleep so I wasn't tired but mentally, I was exhausted.

Just thinking about the conversations that conspired last night was making me cringe with revulsion.

I never wanted Bella to be a part of this life but I was glad that she wasn't going anywhere. I had this disgusting need to just be with her and it made no sense. I couldn't describe the way I felt because I had no past experience with any of this. I didn't know what to do. That being said, Bella had my balls in the palm of her hand. She was going to have to make a decision on where she wanted us to go. She said that everything was fine and it was just going to take time but things might be too difficult for Bella if she ever saw me in action.

Esme and Rose of course knew what their loves were capable of. Alice was too far in love to care but Bella hadn't even heard the half of it.

What was she going to do when she found out that I was basically the boss? That I not only ruled this world but caused all the horrors that flashed across the front page of her newspaper?

I turned off the water to the water when I saw my skin start to turn red from the heat that I didn't even feel. I stepped back in the shower when I realized that I had only spent twenty-four minutes and waited out the last three.

I got out and dried off before going into my closet to dress for church.

I decided on a smart, dark blue, pin striped, suit that was of course made by Mr. Armani and a lighter blue shirt along with a dark tie. I slipped my feet in some Italian loafers and made sure that my hair was somewhat respectable but I knew it would be messy by the time I picked Bella up.

I stood in front of the mirror and pushed on the swollen portion of my jaw that was an injury from yesterday's accident. There were a couple of cuts on my face but I had been through worse.

"Damn." I muttered when I saw that I forgot to shave and a two day stubble was starting to grow in. I fought the urge to jump back in the shower because I was already running late.

I snapped a silver watch on my wrist and grabbed everything else I needed before locking up the penthouse.

I was in the elevator with a splitting headache a couple of seconds later. It was probably a mixture of my concussion, late night drinking and lack of sleep but my head felt like it was being pounded with a jackhammer.

I almost didn't hear the doors open but skidded out of them before they closed.

I slipped into the BMW and pulled out easily onto the street. On my way in between thick congestion, I passed the exact spot where I was rammed by that fucking delivery truck.

There was glass on the road from the accident but besides that, no one would have ever known what scene had occurred the previous day. I didn't know how my father had covered things up but he always did. As far as I knew, there were no police and no record of the catastrophe.

I drove down the road for about ten minutes through slow ass traffic until I pulled up in front of Bella's dorm.

She was sitting on the bench in a beautiful cream colored trench coat so I couldn't see what dress she was in but she looked beautiful. Her hair was swept over her left shoulder and she was in a pair of black, fuck me pumps that made her legs look so amazing.

I stopped easily and she got up from her seat as I went to open her door.

"Good morning." I greeted her.

"Good morning." Bella rose up on her toes to kiss me and I didn't shy away. She sunk into her seat and I shut the door lightly before going to my side.

As we drove off, I wanted to jump right into things and ask Bella how she was feeling about last night. Thankfully, she must have been reading my thoughts because she started off.

"Okay, so I thought about things." She sighed, "I don't want to break up so you don't have to worry. If Esme and Rose and Alice are fine with all of this, then so am I but it's not like you were going to change for me and I didn't expect you to. I have just one thing."

"Okay." I said, relieved that this was going better than I thought it would.

"Well, two things. First, I need to know what's going on. I'm not going to ask you about anything specific but I want to be kept in the loop. I don't want to have to find out that you were in some shootout on the five o'clock news. Tell me what's going on. I don't need to know about all the money or where it's coming from but I need to understand your life."

"I can do that." I nodded.

"And second, you have to promise me to be safe."

"Safe?"

"I've watched enough mafia movies to know what you guys go through and I don't want any of that happening to you. Promise me that you'll be safe."

"Of course" I replied. If she asked me to shave my head, I would.

"I won't say anything to Charlie or anyone. I don't want to put you in more danger." Bella sat back, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How have you stayed out of jail all these years?"

I laughed shortly, "Carlisle owns this city. He could run for mayor tomorrow and win at the drop of a hat. Besides, we have a lot of police on our side. They can make things disappear like that." I snapped my fingers.

"That's why he was like that." Bella said under her breath.

"Who?"

"Oh, uh…well Rosalie probably already told you but that week you were in Russia and we went to your casino, I met some police guy. He came up to talk to me." She shrugged.

Rose told me that there were some police at the casino that night but she didn't tell me who or that they talked to Bella.

"Do you remember his name?"

"Uh…Jacob something." She trailed off.

I had to grip the steering wheel so that I didn't turn the car around and plow it through the front lobby of the Chicago Police Department.

_Who the fuck did he think he was? _

Not only was Black out of line by stepping foot in my casino, but he had the nerve to speak with Bella. She didn't know about anything that was going on but I figured that he guessed she did.

That son of a bitch was going to get it the next time I saw him. I was tempted to fucking throw a Molotov cocktail through his car window but I had to calm down right now.

I didn't want to make a scene in front of Bella.

"Did you say anything?" I asked, not necessarily scared but more pissed.

"No. I don't talk to people I don't know and I could tell he was up to something."

I almost laughed at how well it seemed Bella fit into this life. I was happy that she wasn't going anywhere.

The day went by as much the same as normal.

We sat through a boring ass church service. It took a little longer to get out than normal because Esme wanted to take Bella to confessional for some reason so we waited for them to be done before we headed to the cemetery.

We changed the flowers and cleaned up the grave of Esme's father and I never really thought about it before but it was kind of sick now that I studied the story.

Carlisle killed this man and Esme hated him but out of respect or faith, I wasn't sure which, they brought flowers every week.

Esme was of course fixing her amazing feast but this time, Bella wouldn't let her work alone. She was determined to memorize my mother's lasagna recipe.

For hours, I stood in the kitchen and just watched them interact.

They were both so much alike but totally different in the same way. Esme was probably a version of what Bella was going to be in a couple of decades. I guess what they say is true. Men always fall in love with women like their mothers.

When people started to arrive for dinner, Bella came to sit with me on the couch as I drank from my beer bottle.

"So, tonight is the big Halloween party." Alice bounced in her seat, "I'm so excited. I've always heard that the party at Plasma is just insane. I've never been able to get it."

"It's a zoo is what it is." I said.

"No it's not. Edward just usually has so many women on him that he can't keep up." Jasper laughed.

Bella crossed her arms but didn't say anything. She looked incredibly cute when she got defensive.

"I won't leave your side." I whispered into her ear.

"You better not." She smiled evilly.

"What's Halloween?" Alec asked as he sat across from Emmett on the floor. They were playing checkers and currently, the big football player was getting his ass kicked.

"It's when kids usually get dressed up and beg for candy." I answered, "They go from door to door and ask for stuff."

"Sounds like fun. Can I go?" His eyes shined innocently, "I want get candy from people."

"No, no, no. You're going to have a grown up Halloween." Emmett sat up straight, "We have to give the kids his first everything and since you're not a baby, you can come with us."

"I don't know about that." Jasper shook his head, "It can get pretty…messed up."

"I have a costume for him if he wants it." Alice shrugged.

"What are we going as, maestro?" Bella asked.

"Everyone has something different but it should be fun." She gleamed.

"What do you think Edward?" Jasper asked me, "Can the kid go?"

"It'll be alright. Just make sure he stays away from the booze."

Alec nodded eagerly, "I promise but can I have candy?"

"You'll rot your teeth." Esme came into the room with a tray of antipasto that she put on the coffee table, "And you can go but make sure you stick with Edward at all times."

"I promise."

"I don't see why you have to have a Halloween party on Sunday anyway. It's a sin." Esme stressed to Jasper.

"It's the way of the calendar, Ma. It has to be that way." He held up his hands.

Dinner was easy and flowed without any interruptions.

We didn't talk about business at all and I was thankful that I could actually have an easy meal for once. We gorged ourselves on lasagna, veal parmesan, ten types of salads, four types of soups, six types of pastas, steaks and whatever else Esme decided was appropriate.

It was pure insanity with all the talking and hand moving but it was kind of fun. I never really paid attention to Sunday dinner. With Bella there, I found it bearable.

No one really ever left the house after dinner and just hung around but Rose, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Alec, Bella and I were skipping out early to head out to Plasma.

"Everything is in your rooms so hurry up." Alice commanded us all around nine that night.

"This is not going to be fun." I took Bella's hand and climbed the stairs.

"It won't be that bad. I haven't dressed up in years."

"What if you have to wear some skimpy skirt?" I didn't like the sound of that for the fact that I was just getting over James touching her. I might blow up tonight.

"We'll come to that later. I'll throw on a jacket but if you don't do what she says, it'll just be the worse the next time." She rolled her eyes and we continued to climb.

We entered my room and on the bed were out costumes.

"You can't be serious?" I huffed and held up the red, velvet, cigar jacket, "Hugh Hefner?"

"That's nothing." Bella growled and raised her dark red, Playboy bunny costume to her body, "I'm going to kill her."

"Wow, that looks hot." I muttered like some teenager.

"Shut up." Bella gathered the rest of her things and slammed the door to the bathroom.

I laughed as I took off my suit, folding it as I went and then pulling on the black, velvet pants that looked like a track suit. It was so cliché and I hated it but I wasn't going to get on Alice's bad side. She reminded me of Rose in the way she was bitchy and completely controlling but at least Alice had a personality.

The jacket was a deep burgundy that came below my waist and had black trim along the collar and sleeves. There were pockets and a sash that I was supposed to tie. There wasn't a shirt that went with the costume so I didn't wear one. The Playboy bunny and emblem was smack-dab in the back of the jacket. I stuffed my feet in some comfortable, black slippers.

I went to the mirror and to complete the look, combed my hair until it slicked back and then dug through my top drawer until I found the antique pipe from Great Grandpa. I stuck it in my mouth just as Bella came out of the bathroom.

"Alice going to pay for this" She grumbled and stood in front of me.

"Sweet Lord." I looked her up and down.

The cut of the thing left nothing to the imagination but Bella pulled the whole costume off without seeming slutty or trashy.

The corset was basically just a tight piece of fabric that cupped her breasts and hugged her curves. She had the complete outfit on from the bent bunny ears, to the bow tie and cufflinks along with the same fucking black heels that she wore today. Her hair was flowing down her back and I wanted to basically fuck her until she couldn't breathe. There were no stockings and no coverings.

"Is it nice?" Bella asked, biting her lip and knowing exactly what she was doing to me.

"Turn." I spun her around slowly so that I could see her legs and the puffy white tail that was right on her ass, "I can't believe you look this hot."

"You sound like a horny teenager."

"I feel like a horny teenager." I whispered, "You're not coming out of that until I'm done with you tonight."

"That's what I was planning on." She kissed me long and deeply.

We were both breathless after ten minutes.

"By the way, you look incredibly delicious in that." Bella ran her finger over the outline of my jacket.

"I don't know what I'll do if guys look at you tonight." I said seriously.

"I'll carry a pole so that I can beat them off." She took my hand and led me out of the door.

We went downstairs where Alice was making last minute touches to everyone else's look.

Rose and Emmett looked so fucking messed up as Tarzan and Jane. They barely had any clothes on but I knew that's how they liked it. Alice and Jasper were slightly more tamed as a cowboy and saloon waitress. Alec was in a drummer boy outfit that made him look five. It was shameful and too big for him but he didn't seem to mind. Everyone else was basically naked.

"You look hot!" Emmett spun Bella around, "I want Rose to borrow this one."

"I think I'm going to keep it." Bella raised an eyebrow at me and I shuffled my pants so that my dick wasn't visible.

"We have to hurry up or we'll miss all the fun." Alice squealed and we were off before Esme could chastise our "sinful outfits", but if she brought out those guns, I would have went to the family album. She and Carlisle were just freaky when they were younger. She didn't want to start with me.

We all got into cars and I made sure to hold onto Bella so that she didn't fall. That was her biggest concern and she dug her nails into me the whole time we walked out of the house.

I decided to switch the BMW out for the Aston Martin this week and helped Bella in. Alec jumped in the back of the car.

"I like this one the best." Bella smoothed her hand over the soft leather of her seat, looking sexy as hell in that bunny suit.

"I do to." I started the car and if the lights hadn't come on, I wouldn't have even known it was running. The engine was so smooth as I pulled out of the driveway.

"When can I learn to drive?" Alec poked his head up front. The large hat on his head fell over his face but he picked it back up.

"When you're thirty and don't touch my cars." I replied as I blasted out onto the road.

"I want to drive a motorcycle like Jasper." He commented.

"Charlie always says that motorcycles are the devils play things." Bella laughed.

"I have two." I muttered under my breath.

We made it to Plasma in record time and the freaks really did come out on Halloween. I had forgotten how weird this night was and I couldn't remember the last time I did anything like this.

I drove into the back parking lot of Plasma and the music actually thumped the car.

"Geez, what's going on in there?" Bella opened her door.

"This is not a good night to be out." I said through gritted teeth; just remember the kinds of shit that went down, "The both of you, stay away from the liquor." I pointed at Bella and Alec.

"Can I still have candy?" He asked.

"We could go to the grocery store if you want candy?" Bella wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I guess but I wanted to dress up too. Alice said you had to go out on Halloween."

"Just make sure you don't go too far." We joined the rest of the group who were going into through the back.

The club was so packed it almost bordered on suffocation and there was a thick haze that floated into the air.

Sweaty, costumed bodies were grinding on each other, lights were pulsing, bartenders were working overtime and security was busy trying to keep everything under control.

"This is the best year yet." Jasper rubbed his hands together.

"Just get us a table." I shouted at him.

We were lead through the crowds towards a corner where a glass booth was already fixed with bottles of booze and empty seats.

We squished into the thing and I kept my hand in Bella's as I saw creeps looking at her. I was determined to not blow up.

"This is incredible." Bella said into my ear when we sat down.

"It will only get worse as the night goes on." I said back.

Alcohol was passed around the table and I skipped it over Bella and Alec while they both pouted. They just got juice for the night.

The minutes passed to hours and I was trying my hardest not to walk out but I had to admit that it was kind of fun watching everyone make a fool of themselves.

Rose and Emmett went off to dance of course. Jasper took Alec to receive his first lap dance upstairs from some girl, which I wasn't too sure about but I was already fucking like a rabbit at that age so I couldn't say anything. Alice was happily throwing herself over the gay dudes who seemed to love her and Bella tried to convince me to dance but I wasn't going on that floor even if a gun was put to my head. We just sat and talked.

She seemed to be enjoying herself and I was surprised that I was too.

About three hours in, I heard the screech that I never wanted to hear again.

"Edward!" Vienna's despicable whinny voice sounded even over the music, "Oh my God, I knew you'd be here." She bounced over with some kind of slutty cheerleader outfit on.

She sat right on the other side of me, ignoring Bella.

"Vienna." I said and pulled my arm from her grasp.

"I've been calling you for a month." She pouted.

"I know. I've been ignoring. Did you forget our last conversation?" I scowled.

"Oh, you were just kidding." She swatted my shoulder. I could tell that she was kind of fucked up off of weed. I could smell it.

A huge man came up behind her and just stood there with a hard face.

"Oh, that's just my bodyguard." Vienna said when she noticed me staring, "You know Aro but anyway, what's wrong? I want to have some more fun with you."

"I don't think that would be the best idea. This is my girlfriend, Bella." I replied, actually happy that I could claim some other girl besides Vienna.

"Nice to meet you" Bella extended her hand but I heard a 'slut' at the end.

Vienna just looked at Bella and then started laughing uncontrollably, "Yeah right. This has to be a joke. You don't have girlfriends, Edward."

"I do now."

"Oh my God, this is too much for me to handle." She pulled on my hand, "Come dance with me."

"I would rather not." I snatched it back, "I told you that I never wanted to speak to you again."

Vienna turned around and just looked mean. That was the only way to put it, "Are you serious? You chose _that _over me?" She spat.

"He doesn't like trash." Bella shrugged and I almost choked on my gin.

"Bitch!" Vienna reached across the table but I knocked her away before she could even take a step.

"Touch her and I'll snap your wrists in half." I spoke lowly so that Bella wouldn't hear and stared Vienna down.

"Get off of me." She stumbled backwards, "I hate you." She screeched and ran away crying. It was pathetic.

I sat back down when her bodyguard followed.

"That was the same girl you were with at Carmel that night." Bella accused, "I thought she got the message?"

"Obviously not. She's psychotic to put it lightly." I gulped down the rest of my gin.

"Family friend?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

After that horrible incident, I kept a look out for Vienna but she never showed up again.

Around midnight, I couldn't take all the sloppy, drunk, people watching so I asked Bella to come outside with me for some fresh air. We walked down the street, not far but far enough to dull the sound of music.

I smoked on a cigarette as we continued, "How's your first Halloween in Chicago?" I asked her.

"Well between this outfit that's chaffing my ass and your crazy ex-girlfriends, it's been fun." She actually laughed.

"Sorry about that."

"It wasn't your fault and I knew that your shit was going to come back to haunt us. I can't wait to meet the other ones. I have such good burn lines for when they test me."

"I bet you do." I snickered.

I looked down to put out my cigarette and when I looked back up, Bella was gone. There was no sound, no warning and it took less than a second.

"What the hell?" I looked around, thinking that Bella was playing a trick on me.

I walked back quickly towards the left and down a street but she wasn't there. I re-traced our path but not getting too freaked out.

When it came on the two minute mark, I was about to blow up the fucking city.

I knew shouting wouldn't be any use because there was so much noise from cars and music and people so I just kept running down back alleyways that were close to the club. I had pulled a gun out of nowhere and had it at the ready because something wasn't right.

"Bella!" I tried screaming but didn't hear a reply.

A bottle rolled across the pavement down another alleyway.

"Bella, is that you?" I walked slowly, holding my pistol at the ready.

There was no answer.

A saw a swift movement in the small light of the next alley and ran full speed ahead.

I saw a big body carrying something over his shoulder and I saw the red of Bella's costume in the beam of the street lamp.

I sprinted like a fucking beast and ran through a puddle or two but I didn't care.

Once I got a clear shot, I fired and heard a groan of pain as I hit the piece of shit in the back of the knee. He dropped to the ground and Bella rolled off his shoulder. She had a piece of cloth over her mouth and her feet and hands were bound.

I noticed that the fucker was the same bodyguard that Vienna was sporting a couple of hours before.

Before I even had the chance to think about what to do, I shoved the butt of my gun so deep into his skull that I heard it crack.

He let out a roar of pain and even though he was probably three times bigger than I was, he had a bullet in his knee and a broken head so I was winning this.

I was on top of him and just started throwing punches and his face. There were no words from him or me as I continued to beat the shit out of whomever it was. I grabbed the first thing that I could see on the ground. It was heavy and it was metal so I struck the bastard with so much force that blood sprayed my face but I kept bringing the rod down on his body.

He kept screaming and fighting but I was determined to end his life so he wasn't doing much good.

The animal in me wasn't stopping and I counted fifteen blows to his skull before I had some form of brain function back.

His entire face was a pile of road kill and his head was almost completely severed from his neck, through and through. Besides for the hole in his knee, he didn't have any other bodily injuries minus the problem with his head.

I was winded and the fucker was still, deader than a doorknob. So for the second night this weekend, I had injured a man over Bella and I was okay with that.

I stood up, my clothes and skin ruined with blood and brain matter. I dropped the metal tool on the ground with a clang.

My chest was heaving like I had just ran a marathon.

The first thing that came to my mind was Bella.

She was huddled against a far wall, not crying but had the look of shock on her face. Her eyes were wide as saucers and I approached slowly.

"I won't hurt you Bella." I held up my bloodied hands and crouched next to her, untying her bindings, "Are you alright?"

She nodded without saying anything and blinked a few times, "He just…grabbed me."

"I know." I wanted to hug the shit out of her right now but I didn't think that would be appropriate, "I won't hurt you, I promise."

She looked at me for a quick second and things seemed to snap in her mind.

"That's what I do." I pointed behind me, "I kill and I'm sorry." I still wanted to hug her just to feel her.

Bella took care of my dilemma herself by flinging her arms around my neck, "What the hell was all of that? I don't even know who he is."

"Don't worry about it." I buried my face in her hair, "Nothing was your fault."

"I'm not scared of you." She pulled me closer.

I lifted her up and carried her away from the bloody, dead body on the wet pavement.

* * *

**HOLY KIDNAPPED BELLA BATMAN**

**THAT WAS QUICK AND DIRTY IF I MUST SAY SO MYSELF. i'M STILL KIND OF CONFUSED AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON. **

**SO...BELLA KNOWS EVERYTHING ALMOST AND SHE DIDN'T RUN AWAY. GOOD FOR HER. **

**LOTS TO TALK ABOUT BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO VISIT THE BLOG FOR THAT LATER TONIGHT. TEASER TOMORROW!**

**REVIEW. **


	24. Chapter 23

Bulletproof

BELLA POV

"_The thorn from the bush one has planted, nourished and pruned pricks more deeply and draws more blood.__"- __Maya Angelou _

All things Twilight realted belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

The phone on my nightstand rang but I wasn't getting it for anything.

I still had two hours before I had to get up for school and whoever was calling was just going to have to call back later.

After the sixth ring, I decided to pick up but I wasn't going to be happy about it, "Hello." I nearly growled.

"_Good morning, Bella." _My father's voice said, "_I just wanted to call and see how you were doing?" _

"Dad, I just spoke to you a couple of days ago."

"_I know but I just feel bad that we don't talk more." _

"Are you sure it's not because you miss me?" I laughed.

"_I'm just making sure you're okay. I barely hear from you." _

"I recall you telling me not to call but once a week."

"_Yeah…that was then. How's school?" _

I sat up in bed, "Fine. The classes are getting easier now that I'm more adjusted."

"_Good, good. I expect exceptional grades." _

"I know you do. How are you?"

"_Fine. Just sitting here getting ready to go to work." _

"So you decided to call me at, seven in the morning, which is like five over there?"

"_I was bored." _He admitted with a deep chuckle, "_I hope you're not getting into trouble out there in the big city." _

"Uh…no" I said simply.

"_That didn't sound very promising." _

"I'm staying focused on school." I decided to say.

"_Good. No boys I need to meet?" _

"No, I'm just the same old me." I lied, playing with the edge of my blanket.

"_Well, I just wanted to call and talk about your mother. She's been riding me since you left that she wants you to visit." _

"I know but it wasn't like we saw each other so much after I left." I rolled my eyes.

"_She just misses you, we all do." _

Charlie and I hung up when he had to leave for work and I set the phone back down on the nightstand, not really wanting to resume my sleep.

I moved the covers and traced the scratch marks on my leg that started near my left knee and went up for a couple of inches.

It had been a week since Halloween and I don't think I would ever forget that night. It all happened so quickly that I still wasn't sure what I was involved in but thankfully, Edward was there.

That whole weekend was a blur and I knew that I was in a dangerous situation but what was I supposed to do? I couldn't just leave Edward because my heart wouldn't let me. That being said, I never thought that my life would be in literal danger because of who he socialized with.

When that bitch Vienna came up and started talking to us in Plasma, I didn't think anything of it or the bodyguard who she brought around. I was over the whole 'my boyfriend is a gangster' thing. I know that I shouldn't be but I wasn't a normal girl. I had absolutely no self preservation instinct, which was slightly disturbing but I couldn't change that.

I knew what I wanted and it was Edward. If that came with his dark side then I was going to have to deal with it.

What I wasn't expecting was to be kidnapped by some gigantic football player. I didn't even hear him come up behind me and just felt the dude's hands on my wasit as he bounded my body in thick rope. He didn't say a word and just lifted me on his shoulder. I tried to scream and kick but nothing was working.

Like I was calling him in my head, I saw Edward round the corner to chase after me and then he went into animal mode. Edward literally beat the shit out of whats-his-name. The weird thing was that I wasn't fazed when I saw Edward attack. He thought that I would be scared of him but I was just glad that he was there.

I should have been terrified. I should have ran away and never looked back but I couldn't. Something in my mind was rationalizing Edward's horrible double life and I couldn't explain it.

It wasn't that I just accepted all of this because that's not how it was but I chose to internalize my debates. Edward didn't need to know that I was scared out of my fucking mind. He didn't need to know that it was hard to wrap my brain around all of this. I knew that in the end, I wouldn't leave him but the road up to that point was one I had to walk alone. I wanted to appear like nothing was bothering me or he would get worried. I knew him well enough to notice that.

We still hadn't really talked about that night, why, I didn't know but if hew wasn't bringing it up then neither was I.

I decided that it was time to get out of bed and lifted myself up, trudging towards the bathroom. After my long, warm shower and the completion of my morning routine, I dried off before dressing in jeans along with a thick sweater.

The first week of November came with an uncharacteristic flurry of early winter snow. It wasn't a lot and only lasted for a couple of hours but it was still enough to bring out the heavy coats and boots. The heat of summer was officially gone.

When it was time, I threw my backpack over my shoulder and went into the elevator that was closing. I made it in right before the doors snapped shut. I would have rather waited instead of being trapped in there with Janice.

"Hi Bella" She waved annoyingly.

"Hi." I answer simply.

"Did you have a good Halloween? I know I did. I met this guy at some party and we had sex. Did you have sex?"

I didn't even bother answering that question.

"Well anyway, he came over last night so I guess you're not the only one with gentleman callers, huh?"

"I guess not."

"It isn't a competition or anything but my guy is way hotter than yours."

I couldn't help my words, "I highly doubt that."

"It's true. We'll have to double sometime."

I tapped my foot, praying that the elevator would go quicker or that someone would step on to save me from this girl.

"Did you get your CD?" She asked

"What CD?"

"The one I put under your door last week." Janice bobbed her head to the music on her iPod.

I kind of didn't know what to say and the breath was knocked out of me. I had to hold onto the railing before I fell over.

"That was you?"

"Yeah, some dude paid me a hundred dollars to slip it under your door." She shrugged, "Did you get it?"

"Yeah, I got. Someone actually paid you?" I asked, trying to stay casual.

"He sure did. He was cute too." She thought out loud.

"What did he look like?"

"Really tall, dark skinned, short black hair. He said his name was Jacob and I was supposed to tell you that but you weren't home and I kind of forgot until now."

"Jacob…Black?" I muttered.

"That was his name. Was it porn?" Janice inched closer to me.

Thankfully the doors opened and I went into the lobby, quickly avoiding her. I pulled the hood of my coat over my head and started off to my first class.

I sat in my seat and texted Edward the news that I had just learned. Jacob was after me and we had suspected that but now we had some proof. Edward said that he would "take care of it". That's what he had been saying for the past week when he had business to deal with. I didn't ask questions because I was still getting used to this but I suspected what he was doing on his nights out with his brothers.

No one acted any differently though.

As the day progressed, the minutes seemed to get longer and longer. Seth wasn't in math, which I found kind of strange but I didn't pay any attention to it. I dutifully completed my work and took notes in preparation for finals in the coming weeks.

By the time lunch rolled around, I was ready to just pass out on my bed but the day was made slightly better by the fact that Edward kept texting. I couldn't help but smile at his words or laugh at his silly attempts of jokes.

He told me that we were going out for a nice dinner tonight because there was something he needed to tell me. I was all in favor of just skipping dinner and heading right up to his apartment but he said that I was trying to outsmart him. I had no idea what he wanted to say. I figured it was going to be something bad since the message had that kind of tone to it.

For the most part, I just sat in class and tried to soak up all the information that I could, without looking too bored.

Finally, the day ended after a brutal discussion on Herman Melville in literature and I made it up to my room without any distractions.

As soon as I closed the door, my phone started ringing.

"Hello." I picked up and threw my backpack on the bed.

"_Hi, how was your day?" _Edward asked and I could hear the roar of his car in the background.

"Good, nothing to report but I have paper due at the end of the week." I pulled my coat off.

"_On what?" _

"_Moby Dick. _I think I'm supposed to compare the sea to the world or something like that."

"_I have an early 19__th__ century copy of Moby Dick in my library." _

"I bet you do Mr. Showoff."

He laughed, "_I was just calling to say that I'm on my way." _

"But I'm not dressed yet, I thought you said we're not going to dinner until seven." I looked at the clock that read five.

"_Can't I just spend time with you?" _Edward said in a joking voice.

"I guess."

"_I'll be at the front in about ten minutes." _

"I'll sign you in."

We hung up without an 'I love you' or any type of goodbye for that matter. Actually, since last weekend, neither of us had said it again and I couldn't figure out why.

I knew that Edward was probably never going to utter those words lightly and it would take him a long time to get used to the idea but he said that he loved me. That was good enough. I don't know why I never said it again but on some level, I didn't think that I had to. He knew how I felt and I showed him every day so it just seemed redundant. I know that makes no sense but I didn't have any other way of explaining it.

I picked myself up and went downstairs to the proctor station to wait for Edward. He drove up in his silver Aston Martin, not even bothering to park it legally, and stomped through the inch layer of snow in his charcoal gray suit. I was about to die right there, my lower half suddenly needed some attention.

Good thing we had two hours.

He pulled open the front door and shivered slightly from the temperature change.

"Damn, I hate the cold." He said and came up to me, pulling out his wallet.

"This is nothing compared to a Forks winter." I took his I.D and handed it to the proctor.

"I don't think I've ever been to Washington." Edward kissed the top of my head, "Is it nice?"

"It's boring." I took the id back from the proctor after he signed Edward in.

We got into the elevator and I pushed him against the wall as we went up.

"Eager, aren't we?" He smirked and descended on my lips.

"I am more than a little sexually frustrated right now." I moved my hands to his hair where they took their place in tangles.

"That's why I got here early." He lifted me up easily and pressed us against the back wall.

His lips took over, strong yet tender, as they molded into mine. His tongue didn't even bother asking for permission as it dove into my mouth with reckless abandon and I sucked gently, trying to pull him impossibly closer.

My legs wrapped around his waist so tightly that I couldn't feel the blood flowing through my veins.

"Bella, you're about to bite my lips off." Edward mumbled through kisses.

"Oh, sorry." I said even though I wasn't.

"There will be more time for this when we get inside." He wouldn't let me go as he carried us out of the elevator and down the hall towards my room.

"Why do you have so many layers on?" I asked and pulled a scarf from around his neck.

He took the key from my hands and hastily fumbled with it behind my back. The door swung open and he kicked it closed.

"If you haven't noticed, it's freezing outside." Edward set me down on the bed and began kissing my neck with as much fervor as I had in the elevator.

"So, it takes forever to get you naked." I pushed the heavy coat from his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

"Why are you talking so much?" He lifted my shirt up quickly.

"Because I'm nervous" I started with the buckle of his belt, ripping it off his body with one quick movement, "I'm always nervous when it comes to you."

"That's good to know." He pushed me down, taking my jeans off easily, "Why are we going so fast?"

"Because the last time we had sex was a week ago. You can't tell me you're not about to combust." I watched as Edward unbuttoned his shirt and folded it.

"Be that as it may, you are some kind of nymphomaniac." He grinned, "Did I do that to you?"

"Definitely" I pulled him back over me to capture his lips in mine as I laid in nothing but my cotton panties and bra.

He moved his lips from my neck and kissed my chin up to my mouth where he stayed as his right hand massaged my breast and his thumb gently caressed my jaw.

His hand tilted my head back so our eyes met.

His deep green eyes were studying me with such passion that I was about to explode. His right hand was now buried underneath my hair as his thumbs glided back and forth on my jawbones. I saw his jaw twitch as he closed his eyes and lowered his forehead onto mine with our noses touching tip to tip. Our mouths brushed against the outer ridges of our lips.

"Bella, you have no idea how happy I am with you. I might not say it but it's true."

"I know and I feel the same way."

"I…I think I love you." He sighed, his breath washing across my face.

"You said think again. What do you _feel?_"

"I feel like…I think I love you." He chuckled, "I'm working on it." He kissed me softly.

"I can't believe the beast is tamed."

"He will never be tamed. He's just sleeping, hibernating for the winter." Edward clarified.

"Gotcha" I knotted my fingers in his hair, "I guess you could categorize us as lovers but then again, we feel so much more for each other and I can't really explain it…"

"Shhh...you're talking too much." He swallowed my words.

He interrupted me as his lips pressed into mine. I meshed mine against his and slowly our tongues slid into each other. My hands left his hair and wrapped around his back, squeezing us closer. Our mouths moved fervently and hastily as we violently exhaled out of our noses. My pussy and his cock were pressed tightly and became tighter as I wrapped my legs around his hips, clasping at the ankles and pulling his ass even closer into me. If he didn't have his pants on, his cock would be nestled inside of me already.

"You have to take your pants off." I mumbled.

"Oh yeah" His hands quickly undid the button and he pushed them as far down as they would go. I kicked them off further and they fell from the bed, "I would normally need to fold those but my dick is too hard to care. I'm hurting down there."

"Good"

He broke away from our entanglement, panting, and chest heaving.

His hand ran through his disheveled hair, making it worse. I sat up on my elbows, legs parted-giving him a view of everything. His eyes wandered from my face, down my chest, to my stomach and then zeroed in on my most intimate part. Lust filled his gaze as his tongue slowly wet his bottom lip.

"Geez…" Edward breathed in a whisper.

I stayed silent as his eyes continued to roam my body.

I sat up on my knees, hands on my thighs and stared back. My lips were barely opened and my skin began to creep from the temperature of the air.

"Is there something you wanted?" I asked and moved closer to him. Edward was quite the site in just his boxers but I tried to stay focused.

I stroked the top of his dick in his boxers and his body shivered.

"No, I just don't want to hurt you like I did that one time. I've been too fast."

"No you haven't. I told you that." I continued to stroke him through his underwear.

"Bella, we have to go slow. I don't want to put you in any pain." He warned with sad eyes.

"Then let me lead." I kissed him and climbed into his lap. We repositioned ourselves so that I was lying on top of him and I felt his dick grow almost painfully hard in his boxers.

I let my eyes roam his body like his had done to me.

His muscles looked as if someone had taken a chisel and carved the valleys in his skin. He was toned, cut, sharp, soft and lean. Little sprigs of hair lightly flecked his pale chest, making it that much sexier.

Our eyes traveled back up to meet again. I wanted him, more than any other human being. The look mirrored back at me said he felt the same towards me. The urge to lunge towards him was almost asphyxiating.

I found myself straddling his hips with one of his hands pressed on my lower back and the other twisted in my hair, bringing it up off my neck. Our mouths collided with fiery passion that brought forth deep breathing, pants and groans that only animals would be able to decipher. My fingers were wrapped in his hair. I pulled as hard as I could just to make sure it wasn't a toupee.

Throughout all of this, Edward had hooked his fingers into my panties and began sliding them down my legs without even giving me warning. I don't know how but they were off in a second. I actually think that he ripped them.

_I'm not complaining._

As we played tug-o-war with our mouths, he pressed my hips firmer into his groin and I rolled onto him so that I could feel everything between my legs. His cock was rock hard and strained the fabric of his boxers, trying to break free. I sought to release it, to have my hands and mouth wrapped around the warm, engorged flesh but I knew Edward would never let me go down on him. He said I was too good but I was determined to break him one of these days.

His abdomen was hot, smooth and made me want to rub my bare skin against it.

I could feel him under me as he pulled off his boxers and flung them somewhere back aside. A gasp escaped my lips as I felt his hardness against my stomach. I still couldn't get over how big he was.

"I have to be on top." Edward flipped us over so seamlessly that I didn't even notice it.

"Wrap your legs around me," He roughly demanded.

I did as I was told.

My legs opened wide when I felt his hand guide them apart. When his body made contact with mine, I let out an embarrassing moan. He rested his cock directly on my pussy, parting the lips with his head, and stroked back and forth on my clit.

Small screams flowed out of my mouth as I threw my head back into the comforter and arched my back, thrusting my tits into his chest. He took the open invitation and devoured a breast after removing my bra, throwing it to the floor.

His hot tongue circled my nipple and then flicked it before his lips eased up and enclosed the taut pinkness. He suckled hard as his hand groped my other breast and his fingers pinched the nipple.

My loud moans echoed off the walls. I was going to be getting complaints soon but I didn't care. Everything was blacked out, everything but him. Edward had moved his lips from my breast and was now devouring my neck with open-mouthed kisses. The hot breath from his throat heated my skin to a near boiling point.

I turned my head, giving him better access. His left hand had moved to the base of my skull as his right hand hitched my leg up over his hip further.

His cock was full on fucking me without entering me and it was painful as he rubbed his bursting length against my lower half. The friction on my clit, his assault on my breasts, neck, and mouth were almost nirvana; but I knew it got better. I knew when he finally entered me that it would be my true heaven.

We rocked against each other, echoing out moans, grunts, and whimpers.

As he slid back and forth over my cunt, I tried angling my hips in different positions, wanting him to slip into me but he wouldn't allow it.

Edward restrained me with his entire body, pushing me deeper into the bed.

"We will fuck on my terms," He growled into my mouth. "You know better by now."

"I thought you were supposed to be taking it slow?"

"Yeah well you seem to have given up on that."

At the sound of his dominant words, I felt my toes beginning to curl, the coil in my stomach tightened to an almost painful level and my back arched to the point of contortionist abilities. He was bringing me to an orgasm without even being in me. My senses were working on overload as Edward continued to pulsate against my body.

I dug my fingernails into the soft, pale flesh of his shoulder blades and pushed him harder with my ankles.

The head of his dick rubbed against my clit, causing me to moan. He bit his lip, adjusted himself above me. I felt a fiery heat rip through my body as he pierced the head of his cock inside me with one swift motion.

I threw my head back and almost screamed to the high heavens.

Edward worked slowly at first, letting my body get accustomed to his length and girth. I watched as he slid in and out of me as I looked up at him through my lashes.

"God, you're so fucking tight." Edward pushed harder but still gently.

I could only nod in answer.

Once my body was used to him being inside, he picked up the rhythm and started going faster and harder. We pounded against each other, meeting thrust for thrust. He let my legs bend loosely to allow him deeper into me.

The tight friction and him hitting that the right spot every time, brought figurative tears to my eyes.

His hips began gyrating against me so pressure could be applied to my clit while he pounded with enough force to break the bed. I started trying to rotate and roll my hips to meet his. He was so deep within me that each movement sent me skyrocketing once again.

Edward's lips snarled and his face contorted in aggression as he started fucking me harder.

The hammering was amazing. The sheer brutality turned me on even more. I felt my cum running out of me, coating his dick. His thrusts started to sound wet and that was what did it.

Edward let out an almost animalistic growl as I felt him erupt within me, shooting out liquid in jets.

My breathing was to the point of hyperventilating and I could feel the sweat over my body but it wasn't gross. I couldn't move and I didn't want to.

He stayed above me for a long minute, just calming down.

"Holy shit." Edward rolled off of me, bringing my body with him so that I rested on his chest. He kissed the top of my head with soft lips, "You're going to kill me."

"You say that a lot." I looked at him.

"Because it's true."

I looked at the clock that now read six.

"We still have an hour before dinner."

"Shower" Edward said simply and lifted us off the bed, carrying me over his shoulder.

By the time our "shower" was over, my limbs were jelly and my body was about to collapse from sheer pleasure. There was nothing I could do to quell the way Edward's hands worked wonders on my most intimate areas.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I wrapped myself in a towel and stood in front of my wall closet.

"One of Jasper's places" Edward dried off and pulled on his boxers along with his pants.

"I envy men. You just have to step into a suit and you're done." I threw my hands up and I dug through the clothes that Alice insisted I have.

"But you look hotter than I do." Edward wrapped his arms around me.

"So you say." I pushed him off so that I wouldn't get distracted.

Half an hour later, I was in a pair of dark skinny jeans, and a cream colored sweater that wasn't anything special but still looked nice. I put on a black leather jacket that I had never noticed before but guessed that Alice had thrown it in there. I was tempted to just wear sneakers since it was still kind of wet inside but with Edward looking like a model, I couldn't go out in anything less than perfection so I put on a pair of cream colored, booties that had a tall heel and came up to cover my ankle.

"There." I huffed and moved some hair out of my face when I was done, "Do I look good enough?"

"Perfect." Edward chuckled and got up from the bed, pulling his coat over his shoulders.

I made sure I had my key and wallet before he led me out of the room. We stayed connected in the elevator and went down, heading outside into the cold.

He held the door open for me and I slid into the supple leather. Edward started the car and heated it up before we sped off down the street.

"So, what's the occasion?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You said you needed to talk to me so I assume that's what dinner is for."

"Oh yeah, well I wanted to keep you in the loop…like you wanted."

"Right." I nodded in understanding.

"I'll explain it all at dinner." He took my hand and continued to drive.

We pulled up to the front of a nice looking restaurant called Scarpetta and it looked extremely expensive with its Bordeaux red coloring and gold handled doors.

A valet in a vest opened the car door for me and took my hand.

"Welcome, Ms." He smiled and Edward was at my side in an instant.

"Don't scratch the car." He dropped the keys into the valets hand and yanked me towards the entrance.

I decided not to call Edward out on his possessive nature because I knew he would deny everything. He couldn't see the way he acted with me around other men and it was kind of scary.

"How many restaurants does Jasper own?" I asked as Edward led me to the back of a large dining room that was filled with happy looking people and soft glows.

"About ten in Chicago, but more around the country." Edward answered and helped me with my jacket when we arrived at our booth. I slid in easily. He sat across from me.

"This is nice." I looked around.

"This was the place Esme influenced. It's all her doing." He explained.

"I can see that." I said as I saw the rich artwork and old world feel that the place evoked. It was almost like sitting in a restaurant in Tuscany.

A waiter arrived at our table with a huge smile, "Welcome to Scarpetta, can I get you two some wine to start off with."

"Yes please." I said. Edward gave me a scolding look and I deflated, "I'll have water." I sunk into the booth.

"And I'll have a glass of Pinot. I think we'll just have the Italian classic." Edward handed the menus back to the waiter.

"Right away, sir." He nodded and scurried off.

"I can drink if I want to." I crossed my arms.

"I'll just have your father arrest you for illegal alcohol consumption."

"Blah, blah." I sat up straighter, "I think you just like drinking in front of me to make fun of me. Rose does it too."

He laughed, "Well you get very agitated over the simple fact that you're underage."

"I still have three more years until I'm even able to drink. That's so far away and depressing." I sighed.

"At least you're not bordering on middle age." Edward combed through his hair, "I think I had my first hip spasm this morning when I rolled out of bed."

"I would have loved to see that."

Our drinks were brought and Edward just asked for the bottle, pouring me a little when I complained further although I didn't really care about drinking. I just wanted a small taste.

"So, I think we need to talk." Edward began, "We haven't really discussed what happened on Halloween."

"Yeah." I agreed.

"I thought you might want to know what's going on since it has something to do with you."

"I haven't done anything." I crossed my arms on the table and leaned in.

"I think I need to explain further because there were some things that Carlisle left out of his story last week."

"Okay."

Edward let out a deep breath, "Basically, in a mafia family, there is a line of succession that travels down to ensure that there is always a head."

"Right, I've read the Wikipedia sources. It goes from oldest to youngest."

"In most cases but not in ours. I'm the next in line." He took back a gulp of wine.

"After Carlisle?" I asked and he nodded, "But…what about Emmett or Jasper?"

"It doesn't always have to be the oldest. Carlisle can choose whoever he wants and Emmett has certain flaws that won't do him well in this business. Jasper isn't even eligible because he's not Cullen by blood though Carlisle fought for him to gain some kind of position a long time ago. I'm most like my father I guess and that's why he's grooming me to be the leader one day."

"One day?"

"Twenty, thirty years. Tomorrow if he wants." Edward shrugged.

I sat back and thought out loud, "That's a lot on your shoulders."

"Yeah, I'm called Il Principe in our world or the Prince and since our family basically controls everything, I have a lot to live up to."

"I bet."

"People have always been after us but now that there has been a clear line of succession set up, they will start targeting me as the years go on."

"Targeting you as in…"

"Trying to cut the family apart. They'll try to take out the strongest link first but Carlisle isn't even an option. It's all about the future. If I'm gone, we won't necessarily crumble but our family will be a lot weaker."

"What does that have to do with Halloween?" I asked, kind of scared at where this conversation was going.

"We have adversaries and lots of them. Vienna is from the Volturi line and their leader is Aro, her uncle. He's a horrible man but not unlike Carlisle. Then there is James who you met, leader of the Denali's. Several more dot the country but none of them are that important. The main point I'm trying to make is that we have a lot of enemies."

"I would imagine." I said in a whisper. My throat wouldn't let me speak louder.

"After that night, I went to Aro and didn't accuse him of anything because that could be very dangerous but he assured me that he didn't give any orders to Vienna and I believed him because up until then, he didn't even know about you so I'm thinking that Vienna was just drunk and ordered her bodyguard to take you or something. We can't ask him of course since…" Edward let his sentence trailed off.

I nodded.

"Anyway, I have no desire to speak with Vienna again and I think that she knows she's in trouble. Her uncle wasn't very happy with her pranks and he supposedly cursed her out. The point is, that kind of think happens from time to time."

"Edward, I was kidnapped. That doesn't just happen." I stressed to him.

"In my world, it does. Sometimes things turn out worse than what you experienced and that's why I never wanted you to know about any of this. Vienna's reasoning was probably based on jealousy but other people will be after you for other reasons."

"I don't like the sound of that."

Edward looked extremely worried for the first time since I had met him, "I need to make sure that you're safe. By now, Aro and everyone else will know who you are and that's a big deal. I've never had anyone that I've been attached to. They'll hone in on you."

"I don't understand."

"One day, maybe…you might kind of be important to us. It might not seem like it, but Esme, for instance, holds a lot of power in the mafia community. She's Carlisle wife and that alone is serious but she's also got gang related blood running through her so everyone knows to respect her. That doesn't mean that they don't wish she was dead. Without her, my father would be half the man he is today. Everyone knows how much she means to him and they know that he would lose his zeal so to speak. He wouldn't be as effective without Esme."

It took me a minute to process all of this and I suddenly became extremely concerned.

"You're in a lot of danger Bella and I'm sorry. They all realize that you mean a lot to me and if they could, they would use you as a bargaining chip for a whole multitude of things. I don't want to scare you but I'm trying to warn you. You're life is forever changed because of me."

"So…they'll try to get to me because I'm with you." I said, trying to get some clarification.

"Exactly but don't worry. I have your safety under control." He held up his hands.

"Oh, well that's great. Now I don't have to worry at all. What do I get, bodyguards?" I replied sarcastically.

Edward's eyes shifted slightly.

"You can't be serious?" I almost shouted, "This is unbelievable. I can't take this."

"It's for your own good, Bella. I won't have you walking around the streets unprotected and if I can't be with you at all times then I need to ensure that you're safe."

"So what about last week when I was kidnapped, where were they then?"

"The old ones were let go. I've hired new help and they've been doing their job better over the past few days."

"I can't…I don't…I'm so confused and mad right now." I grabbed my purse and scooted out of the booth, "I'm going to the bathroom."

He stood when I left the table, just like a gentleman would but I was too angry to notice his attempts at chivalry.

I stomped to the bathroom in the back of the restaurant and pushed my way through the door. I didn't really need to go so I just stood in front of the mirror and washed my hands.

Is this really what he needed to tell me?

I understood everything he said because I had prepared for it. Of course the Il Principe thing was a little much to accept in one sitting but I suspected something like that. I could put the pieces together in my mind. Edward just seemed like he was being put in charge of more than everyone else and in their family, I could see the lines of division.

I guess it slightly worried me that I was considered unsafe because of his position but what about Alice or Rose? Weren't they in as much danger as me?

I was mad because he never told me about the bodyguards. I didn't like the feeling of people following me when I didn't know about it. Now I was going to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.

I dried my hands off and started to go back into the dining room but as I swung the bathroom door open, I hit something hard on the other side.

"Oh, sorry." I said and looked up at maybe the biggest man I had ever seen. He had short brown hair and light gray eyes with a strong face that looked as hard as marble.

"No problem, Ms. Swan." He spoke deeply and calmly.

I sighed and moved a piece of hair out of my face, "You must be my bodyguard I've just learned about."

"One of many, Ms." He held out his plate sized hand, "Benny."

"Bella" I shook it, "Uh…you won't be following me everywhere, will you?"

"Yes, ma'am. Until Mr. Edward deems it unnecessary but I've been with Mrs. Esme for years so I doubt that will happen."

"Esme has bodyguards too?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"Many, Ms."

That made me feel slightly better.

"It was nice meeting you." I began to walk back and then stopped when I felt him follow me, "Uh…could you give me some space?"

"This is space." He looked down and measured our distance from each other.

"Will you be sitting in my classes and following me to the grocery store?"

"I won't be sitting in. I've never been good a school." He made a sad attempt at a joke, "But I'll always be close by."

"Well then welcome to my boring life." I shook his hand again and went back to the table where Edward was working on the last of the wine.

"I take it you met Benny?" He nodded to the man who was moving towards the back of the dining area.

"Such a charming man." I replied.

"He does card tricks. He's really funny. I've known him since I was a kid."

"Aren't Alice and Rose in as much danger as me?" I asked my question that I had in the bathroom.

"No. They do have a certain amount of danger from being associated with us but you're special." Edward took my hand, "They will all want you to get to me. The police obviously know who you are, Aro knows and it's only a matter of time before you meet everyone else in our world. Once they find out you're the daughter of a cop, it will only get worse."

"So I have to look over my shoulder forever?"

"No, that's my job. I'll always protect you and you won't have to ever worry, especially when you're with me but I just wanted to make sure you knew what was going on. We all have security around us. It's just part of our life and now yours."

I breathed out a rush of breath.

"I know I probably scared the hell out of you but…"

"No, no. I understand and I'm glad that you told me." I assured him, "It was just a lot to take in."

"I realize that."

"So…I know that I'm safe, but what about you?" That was my only worry because I guessed that Edward had taken more than enough precautions with me.

"I have a few bodyguards and a gun on me at all times but nowhere near the amount of security I have requested for you."

"Why not? You could get hurt just as much as I could." I said, almost worried.

"I have training, Bella. I know how to take care of myself."

"But anything could happen."

Edward laughed, "You're starting to get gray hairs. Stop worrying about me. I'm just trying to make sure you're safe."

The rest of dinner was used for Edward to explain to me more about what was going on.

I needed details on what I was to expect if I was going to be with him. I felt like I was living in some kind of movie but somehow, I easily understood it all. It made sense to me. I wasn't as scared as I thought I would be because Edward just seemed so sure I would be kept safe. His words and his eyes just held a certain level of security that I couldn't help but believe.

I decided to stay at Edward's that night for one, because he said I had to and two, because I wanted to. He told me that there would always be a guard across the street from my dorm so I didn't have to worry but I was still getting used to this so I decided it was better to be safe than sorry. I didn't have class until later the next afternoon anyway.

That night we didn't do anything but kiss and talk but we still didn't get to bed until three in the morning. I slept next to him easily without any thought of bodyguards or guns or crazy ex-girlfriends. It was peaceful.

The next morning, a shrill ringing woke us both up. Edward almost fell off of the bed to reach it.

"Hello." He growled into the phone, "No…we don't want to go….it's seven in the morning….go by yourself….fine….shut up." Edward slammed the phone down.

"Who was that?" I snuggled deeper into his pillows.

"Emmett. He wants us to go to the gun range."

"Have fun."

"I said _us_ as in all of us."

"But…it's early." I groaned.

"I know." He got out of bed and pulled me with him, "Come on. It'll be entertaining." He dragged me to the shower.

An hour later, we were clean, dressed and Edward had shoved a gigantic cup of coffee into my hands as he drove through traffic.

"I don't see why I have to go." I complained.

"Because shooting is fun." Edward actually smiled.

"So then you go and let me sleep."

"You can take a nap later." He sped up quickly and I stayed quiet as he maneuvered his way through slower cars.

We arrive at a place called Shootout and it looked like a small warehouse. Emmett's Hummer was parked along with a massive Harley. They were the only two vehicles in the parking lot.

Rose, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Alec hopped out of the Hummer when Edward parked.

"Who owns that thing?" I asked Rose and pointed to the motorcycle.

"Jasper" Alice squealed, "He looks so hot on it too. I swear he almost took me right on the seat."

"Too much." Emmett covered his ears, "I won't listen and we have a child present."

"We've done worse." Rose commented.

"But still…I don't want to have that image in my head."

"I bet it would be hot." Jasper licked his lips.

"Can we just get inside? My balls are freezing off." Edward shivered and wrapped and arm around me from behind.

"I can't wait to watch Bella kick some ass with a gun." Emmett pushed us all inside.

A sketchy looking man greeted us in an accent. "Hello, everyone."

"Hiya, Damon." Emmett waved, "We just came to do some early morning shooting."

"Everything's ready in the back."

"Thanks."

We took off our coats and walked through the store that held an impressive collection of ballistics but nowhere near what I saw in Edward's gun vault. I knew the basics of shooting but didn't really have that much experience myself. Charlie taught me though.

The back of the store was a gun range with booths set up, all lined in a row in front of what looked like a cement garage.

"No paper cutouts." I said as I saw the manikins on raised platforms.

"We like shooting bodies." Jasper said coldly and raised an eyebrow.

"How sweet." I took back the last of my coffee and put my jacket on a chair.

"So, the person with the best groupings win one thousand dollars." Rose suggested.

"You know what you're doing?" Edward asked as he put some ear mufflers over my head.

"I'm the daughter of a cop. I know how to shoot."

"Just checking" He smirked, "Can you handle this?" He handed me his golden gun that I couldn't even hold up. It was so heavy that my shoulder felt like it popped out of the socket, "It's called a Desert Eagle; my favorite gun."

"I think I need to work up to that. Give me something smaller." I looked through whatever was behind us in the cabinets.

Emmett choose a massive AK-47, Rose was wielding a scary looking shotgun, Jasper was helping Alice with a smaller pistol since she didn't really know what to do, and Alec was masterfully shoving the magazine into an Eagle like Edward's.

"That's actually one of mine." Edward said to me as we watched Alec, "I gave it to him. It took him two weeks to hold that up. It took me six months."

"But…he's so small."

"He's strong though. He can shot it too without flying backwards. He's a natural."

"Impressive."

"I'm slightly worried about this."

"I don't know much about guns but I know the mechanics of it. Which one should I use?" I looked down into the illuminated gun cabinet.

"How about a Beretta 96D? Those are girl guns." He said seriously.

"I don't need a girl gun." I shoved him.

"Okay, okay." He reached back into the back and pulled out a black, gun with a ribbed handle that was almost as big as my forearm, "This one will do."

"What is it?" I took the pistol from him and it was heavy, really heavy.

"A SigP2022. It's got a lot of kickback so I'll stand behind you. Can you hold it up?"

I could but my arm was already sore, "Just for a little bit."

"That's long enough to get a couple shots off."

Edward moved us towards a booth and turned on the lights so that they were illuminated all the way down to the manikin.

"Okay, so feet shoulder width apart." Edward positioned himself behind me, flush against my body and nudged my legs away from each other, "Stand straight towards the target." He moved my shoulders slightly.

"What about bullets?"

"That's last. You have to get your body position right or you won't ever get a straight shot. Make sure your hips don't shift at an angle and when you raise the gun, lift it straight up to nose level, not too high but not too low."

"Okay." I breathed.

"Can we shoot already?" Emmett yelled.

"Hold on!" Edward yelled back. He reached over my body and took my hands in his, "Now we check the magazine to make sure it's filled and snap it into the handle." He pushed the cartridge in, "Cock it back, take the safety off and we're ready. Simple stuff."

"Got it." I went over the list of things in my head.

"When was the last time you shot something?" Edward chuckled.

"Uh…two years ago." I guessed, "But I'm not afraid of guns. Charlie's taught me before."

"I'll stay here then for your safety." He put the mufflers on his head and raised my arms up with the gun out in front of us, "You ready?"

"Yeah"

"Okay, don't hesitate to press the trigger. If you have a shot then take it. Take in a deep breath…" We both did, "…hold it, and shoot." His finger pulled back on the trigger with mine underneath and my arms shook from the vibrations of the bullet ripping through steel.

I stood firm but if Edward wasn't there, I would have been thrown into the far wall.

"Wow." I fell back against Edward's chest.

"Hey, you cheated." Jasper stuck his head in our booth.

"It was just a test shot." Edward pushed his head away, "You did good. Killed the bastard." He hit a button next to us and the manikin began gliding towards us on a platform. It stopped right in front of me with a hole through his heart.

"Wow." Was all I could say.

"No shaking limbs, no kickback burns." Edward checked over me, "You're a pro. Can you take it from here?"

"Uh…sure." I gave a half-cracked smile.

He laughed at me, "Okay, I won't go anywhere." He stood behind me again and pushed the button so that the body flew back in position.

After half an hour of test practice, I thought that I had gotten kind of good but Edward thought otherwise. He said he wasn't leaving and he meant it. Edward helped me master the gun I had before we tried shooting his Eagle. That didn't go so well and my arms basically feel off after that.

"I think she's good enough to join in the competition." Emmett commented as he looked and my blown up manikin, "Let's do this!"

"We'll be a team. I'm not going anywhere." Edward took off his earmuffs and smoothed out his hair, "You know how to shoot now but can you do it with distractions?"

"Distractions?"

"Yeah, you don't always get a nice gun range in the streets. If someone is going to attack you then they don't set it up all nice and pretty like this."

I began to get slightly scared at the thought of me using a gun for real but if it came to that, Charlie had taught me that in self defense, I could do anything to get away. Little help that did me on Halloween.

"But I just started getting good. I need time to perfect myself." I said.

"No time. " Edward snickered and hit a button above my head. "Everyone ready?"

"Yeah." Jasper replied from the other booth.

"We have to beat Rosalie. She's the best shot besides me." Edward whispered in my ear as he positioned me like he did before.

"Okay." I nodded and checked the gun.

"Fifty shots and the best groupings win." Emmett explained, "In the head, chest or groin. None of that leg, arm shit."

"Is he serious?" I asked.

"Yes." Edward sighed, "He has a bit of a violence problem. We're trying to get him into therapy."

"I bet you're worse."

"If only you knew."

Guns began firing all around me and there was a lot of noise but that was all canceled out by the mufflers I had over my head. As per Edward's orders, I didn't look anywhere but in my eye line so that I didn't get confused.

By my third shot, I had hit the body in front of me, right in the chest but the next one was in the shoulder so that didn't do me any good.

"Remember, don't let the gun move and work through the distractions." Edward said as his hands left my shoulders.

"Where are you going?" I shouted over the bullets.

"Nowhere, just keep shooting."

I nodded and held the gun firm as I continued my bombardment on the poor fake man.

I suddenly felt long, warm fingers under my shirt, right over my stomach.

I almost jumped out of my skin.

"Don't move, Bella." Edward commanded, "You'll hurt someone."

"Stop touching me."

"Work through the distractions." He repeated and repositioned me. His fingers continued to dance across my skin.

This was unfair on the highest level. He knew what he was doing and there was no way that I was going to be able to think straight with his touches on me.

I could basically see the smile on Edward's lips without even turning around as his fingers ran along the waistband of my jeans, just barely touching the flesh of my hips. They dipped lower and into my panties.

My knees almost collapsed but thankfully, Edward was there to hold me up. I dropped my arms, not from pain but from pleasure.

"This can't be safe." I muttered under my breath.

Edward forced my arms back up in the shooting position, "I want to see bullets leaving that gun, Bella."

I started re-firing at his demand but my body was very aware of him behind me and I was just waiting for the attack again.

Edward's fingers didn't even bother with a warning again as they just dug under my panties and the pad of his thumb ran over my clit that was now in need of dire attention.

My arms shook, my legs shook, my core was vibrating with enough forced to rattle a tree from its roots.

"I like this game." Edward whispered in my ear and even with the coverings, I could hear him perfectly.

His index finger ran over my lips and parted them easily before he just finished completely, entering me in one motion.

I shot a bullet into the ceiling and that was enough for me.

I put the gun down and backed up, "You are in so much trouble." I pushed him out of the room, taking off our ear mufflers.

"Where are you two going?" Emmett yelled.

I didn't even bother answering him as I took Edward's keys from his pocket, unlocking the Aston Martin with the button.

"Bella, we're leaving the family behind." He chuckled as I pushed him in the back seat and followed.

"This is your fault." I nearly ripped his shirt off.

Needless to say, we didn't win the one thousand dollars.

* * *

**HOLY SEXY TIME AT A GUN RANGE BATMAN**

**THAT WAS HOT, IF I MUST SAY SO MYSELF ALTHOUGH I WANTED TO TAKE IT FURTHER BUT I ALREADY SPOILED YOU WITH ENOUGH LEMONS TODAY. HAHAHA**

**ANYWAY, GO CHECK OUT THE BLOG LATER FOR RAMBLINGS AND TEASER TOMORROW. **

**OH AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE ALL HUMAN TWILIGHT FANFICTION AWARDS BEGIN VOTING ON MONDAY (8/30) I REALLY WANT TO WIN SOMETHING, BUT WHO DOESN'T? **

**JUST GO CHECK IT OUT- **twilightallhumanawards . webs . com

**I WOULD REALLY APPRICIATE THE LOVE BUT I'LL BE REMINDING YOU FROM NOW UNTIL THE VOTING ENDS ON SEPT. 13 SO YOU'LL GET TIRED OF HEARING IT. DON'T WORRY. THERE ARE SOME REALLY COOL FANFICTIONS NOMINATED AND LOTS BY FRIENDS WHO I LOVE. **

**THATS ALL FOR TODAY. NEXT UPDATE ON TUESDAY! **


	25. Chapter 24

Inferno

EDWARD POV

"_Disarm, disarm. The sword of murder is not the balance of justice. Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession."__ -__Julia Ward Howe_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

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I ran my hand along Bella's naked back as we lay in my bed.

We hadn't done anything tonight besides a lot of heavy kissing but I felt exhausted.

The November air was whipping around outside but in here, it was warm and toasty. For some reason, my body was extremely turned on by Bella at the moment and I had a suspicion as to what it was.

Earlier in the week, Bella showed off her stuff at the shooting range and it was the first time I saw her holding a gun with such authority. She was powerful and sexy without knowing what to do but it was hard to just watch her while I stood behind and guided the bullet out of the pistol.

That was three days ago and my dick felt like it had been permanently hard since then. I didn't want to jump her unexpectedly but it was painful to live through this. Maybe I was masochistic but I actually didn't want to have sex with Bella, if that makes any sense. I wanted to see how long she could hold my attention without it being physical.

So far, I had barely thought about fucking her minus the hard on in my pants at all hours of the day but as soon as I was in her presence, I just wanted to hear her speak or laugh. It was strange, but at this point I was just ready to throw in the towel. I had learned that my life with Bella was something I hadn't experienced. I was going to have to get over it.

I realized that I could actually do this. I could have a girlfriend and treat her right, even if I wasn't so much of a saint. With Bella, I didn't think of her as a girlfriend though. What should I call her?

We hadn't reached the point of soul mates and I didn't even know what that meant. I knew that I loved Bella even though I didn't say it in so many words so maybe she was my…

I was so confused. I felt like I'd known this woman for my entire life. We just meshed together perfectly on all levels without even trying.

"Why the long face?" Bella lifted her head up to look at me and rested her chin so that we could see each other.

"Nothing, just thinking" I sighed.

She nodded, "You'll give yourself gray hairs."

"Don't joke about that." I combed my hands through my locks, looking for jumpers, "We all can't be young whippersnappers like you."

"I know but I like 'em old." She kissed my chest, "Soccer dad old."

"I'm not that bad."

"Still, it's kind of hot."

"At least I can drink." I joked because I knew that pissed her off. She huffed and stayed silent.

We were quiet for a few minutes, just breathing in each other and not trying to rush things. This is the time with her that I valued most. We were alone and not really trying to do anything but feel our bodies together.

"Can I get a book from the library?" She asked with a slight enthusiasm in her voice.

"You don't ever have to ask." I kissed her shortly.

Bella giddily pulled on some of my boxers and my undershirt, looking incredibly sexy, before bouncing out of the room.

I lied back down and let my head sink into the puffy pillows. My cell phone on the nightstand rang but I wasn't planning on getting it. I didn't want to move.

I let the phone ring until it stopped completely but the shrill sound was back a couple of seconds later.

I groaned, picking up the phone, "Cullen."

"_Hello, bro!" _Emmett sang, "_Good night?" _

"Yes, it was very good up until the point when some monkey called me." I growled.

"_Yeah, yeah. You're always so mean to me. I've been a good big brother." _

"What do you want, Emmett?"

"_Oh right, well we have work to do." _

"Work? There wasn't anything scheduled for tonight." I went through my mental calendar just to make sure.

"_I know but we caught a jumper. He's one of Aro's guys. The dude is down at the warehouse now." _

"I don't feel like dealing with this at the moment." I plopped down on the sheets, "Can't you and Jasper just handle it?"

"_No can do. Get your ass out of bed and tell Bella to stop putting out. You two won't be able to walk in the morning." _He laughed.

"For your information, we were just having a quiet night without the sex." I got up, trudging to my drawer to pull on some underwear.

"_Don't try to pull that trick on me. I know the truth." _

"Shut up. I'll be there in half an hour." I ended the call, stepping into some pants and shrugging into a shirt.

Bella was standing at the doorway with a thick book held to her chest, "Do you have to work?"

"Apparently" I said regrettably as I went into my closet, taking a heavy coat from a hanger. I slipped into a pair of shoes and tamed my hair somewhat, "I don't know when I'll be back."

She nodded silently, "I figured."

I didn't want to leave but I had to. I grabbed my keys and took small steps towards Bella who was still near the door, "I'll bring you a present." I tried to cheer her up by wrapping us both in my large jacket. She fit perfectly against my body.

She cracked a small smile, "I don't want your pity gifts. I'll just sit here by my lonesome, reading like an old spinster." Bella kissed me lightly.

"I would love to join you."

"Yeah well, you can't. Maybe I'll run around the apartment naked and roll in syrup." She grinned, "I bet you'd love to see that."

"My brothers will be very upset with you if I don't leave now." I sucked her neck.

"That's your fault."

"I don't think so."

I continued my way up her neck towards her jaw and finally, placed my lips on hers.

I wanted more than anything to just pull her down on the bed so that we could continue this but I was already running late so I broke away painfully.

"I have to go." I rested my forehead against hers, our bodies still entangled in my jacket.

"I know. Be safe, you promised me you would."

"I always am."

"No bruises this time. I mean it, Edward." Bella raised her eyebrow in a motherly way, "I can't take anymore bruises."

"Those aren't even the half of how bad it can get."

"Don't say that." She closed her eyes, "I don't want to imagine it."

"We need to toughen you up." I chuckled.

"Just don't do anything stupid" She kissed me shortly, "I like the naked syrup idea. I think I'll look into that." Bella unwrapped herself and sauntered towards the bed but I caught her by the waist.

"I can't ever let you go." I said against her lips. Bella's fingers went into my hair, fisting like I was going to fly away.

All too soon, she pulled away.

"Go." Bella pushed me out of the room.

I dragged my feet down the steps and didn't even feel like moving into the hallway but I pushed myself out of the apartment, locking the door behind me.

I was in the Aston Martin five minutes later, driving through the chilly roads towards the docks.

Chicago was known as the Windy City for a reason and even in the car, I could hear the sounds of whipping wind around me. It was only nine at night so the temperature would drop more as the hours passed but I had grown up in this weather so I didn't mind.

I made it to our normal warehouse in no time and shut off the car, not wanting to get out.

For the first time in my life, I didn't care about all of this. Of course there was some tugging in the back of my head that was shouting 'kill, kill!' but I was able to suppress that as images of Bella began to take over. I wanted to go back home to her.

_Go back home? _

I shook my head to clear it and took off my jacket, folding it in the passenger's seat. I got out of the car and walked into the warehouse.

Jasper, Emmett and Alec were sitting in chairs, not really doing anything.

"I thought we had things to do?" I said frustrated at the fact that I had to roll out of bed for this.

"We thought you might want to finish him." Emmett pointed behind him at the man tied to another chair. He was breathing heavily, from his position and his body was almost completely blue; whether it was from the cold or the bruises, I didn't know.

"Who is he?" I asked, rolling up my sleeves.

"Some guy that Aro uses. He has some good info about you." Jasper raised his eyebrow.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that Aro knows about Bella. She's been the talk of their family dinners for quite some time now."

"Shit." I ran my hand through my hair.

"He sees her as your only weakness." Alec answered. I noticed the bloody knuckles that he was nursing.

"You have fun?" I nodded to him.

"It was…interesting." Alec shrugged.

"That kid's a beast." Emmett hit his shoulder, "He took the guy out with one blow. It was awesome."

"Who is this dude?" I asked and went over to the man who was cowering in his chair, dragging it to the middle of the room.

"His name is Daniel or something like that."

"It's David." The man growled.

"How long have you worked for Aro?" I knelt in front of him.

"Two years, not very long but I'm just a driver."

"What do they know about Bella?" I asked.

I knew that service people like drivers, maids and cooks had the best information because no one thought anything of them. That's why Carlisle had everything kept in the family. All of our servicemen were related by blood somehow and most of them couldn't even speak English, being brought over directly from Sicily.

"They know that she's yours." He replied heavily, "Aro was suspicious when James got beat up and then Vienna told him the rest of what he needed to know. He had nothing to do with that shit on Halloween but now he knows about her."

"And what is he thinking?"

"How should I know?" David tried to shift out of his seat but the ropes were too tight.

"Just answer me." I pulled out my Eagle for show. I didn't have the energy to care about this man.

"He wants to meet her. He wants to know what she's all about and he wants to see how deep you are with her." David rattled off.

"For what?" I nodded in thought, "He's honing in on me, isn't he?"

"Yeah"

"I don't know why." Jasper stood up, "Dad's not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Yeah but what if I was out of the way? It wouldn't be the same." I said.

"He's not going to kill her. He isn't that much of the devil." David lifted his head, "Aro just wants to know who Bella is and make sure she's not a threat."

"That sounds better than it actually is." Emmett sighed.

"Now that I gave you your information, can I go?"

"You're not going anywhere." I stood and pulled a rag out of my pocket, shoving it in David's mouth.

The deep smell of oil was penetrating as Jasper poured it over David's body that was now thrashing on the chair violently. He was screaming but his cries were muffled by the rag.

Alec, Emmett and Jasper stood by as I fired up my lighter and threw it on David's lap. His whole body was engulfed in a hot inferno within seconds. The scent of burning flesh was immediate and he was shouting so much that I could barely focus on my thoughts.

"I hate cleaning up after this." I shuddered as I watched a piece of David's skin literally melt off of his body.

"We'll have someone come over to clean up later." Emmett checked his watch, "Are we done here? Rose and I have plans."

"We're not done. We can't just leave him here." I said and played with my gun, twirling it around my finger.

"Let the kid handle it. I'm out." Jasper waved us goodbye as he left the warehouse.

"You'll be okay with Edward, right?" Emmett asked Alec.

"Yeah. Can I stay with you tonight?" He said towards me.

"That's fine." I answered.

"Alright then, peace." Emmett ruffled my hair and followed Jasper.

Alec and I stayed quiet for a couple of minutes as we watched David's body basically crumble into ashes. The good thing about death by fire was that it was painful and it took forever. Just because your skin was charred didn't mean your heart stopped beating.

At this point, the rag had fallen out of David's mouth and his chair was toppled over but his throat was so burned that he couldn't really speak. His body was shivering and jerking.

"You want to handle it?" I passed Alec my Eagle.

He took it from me and cocked the gun easily, pointing it towards David's head. He didn't pull the trigger but just held it. We stayed in our positions for a full minute.

"You can't think of him as a person." I instructed.

"But…he is."

"Why is he here?"

"Because he had information"

"Right, that was going to hurt our family." I knew I was twisting some things around but he needed to see things in unwavering terms. That was the only way to keep sane in this life. There was good and bad; that's it.

"He was trying to hurt Bella." Alec said to himself.

"Aro is trying to hurt Bella." I clarified so he didn't get confused, "David was just the middle man. We can't let him go or who will he run to?"

"Aro."

"You made your choice. The Cullen's don't leave survivors."

Alec pulled the trigger of the gun with power and his shoulder shifted from the force but he kept his arm strong. The bullet ripped through David's head, entering right under his nose and then out the back. I saw bone and brains as they splattered the floor behind him.

David's body stilled and a stream of blood flowed from the hole in his head.

Alec hadn't moved and his body was in the same position as it had been when he shot.

I went up to him and had to pry the gun from his grasp. His body was rigid but he fell back against me.

"Don't think of him as a person. He was a man who posed a threat to the family." I put the gun in my belt.

Alec let out a deep breath in a rush and I felt him shake.

"You did fine." I guided him out of the warehouse, locking the door behind me as I walked towards the car.

"Don't we have to clean up?" Alec muttered in a voice that I couldn't even hear.

"The lower boys come in every morning to wipe everything down." I patted his back, "Don't worry about it."

I opened the passenger's side door of my car for him and I actually had to set Alec in the seat because he was shaking so badly.

I quickly went to the driver's side and sped out of the parking lot.

The drive was completely silent, to the point of insanity. I remembered back to my first kill, the first time I drew fresh blood and it was hard to even think that far back. I was so young, a year younger than Alec but mentally, I was light-years ahead. In my brain back then, I was ready to kill and I was ready to join this life.

Was Alec?

I don't think I had ever asked him before but it was too late to bring it up now because the deed was done. The first kill was the most important and most memorable because it set the tone for your entire career in this business. As far as dramatics went, Alec had a very impressive slay.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, not really knowing what else to say.

"I'm good." He answered but I could tell he wasn't.

"What were you thinking?" I turned into the parking garage of my building.

"That I had to keep the family safe." He muttered like it was a mantra.

"That's not your job to do alone." I explained.

Alec looked at me with inquisitive eyes, "You love Bella, don't you?"

"I do." I nodded, admitting it to both of us in not so many words.

"Is that why you do what you do, to keep her safe?"

"Partly." I said, trying to figure out a way to explain it to him, "Bella is.…a wonderful addition to my horrible life. I enjoy what I do and I never thought that I would find someone like her but now that she's here, I can't _not_ be with her. Does that make any sense?" I turned off the car.

"No."

"My family, our family, is what matters but…when you find someone that you're pulled to…in that way, your priorities seem to shift. Now, in my head, Bella and the family are on the same level." I rationalized to the both of us and things kind of clicked in my brain.

"Pulled to her? You mean sexually?" He was getting more and more confused.

"Uh…yes but not only that. You'll find someone you actually want to spend all of your time with."

I didn't know how else to explain it to a teenager because frankly, I was "made a man" before I could even get an erection so it was kind of strange for me to talk about this with Alec. I knew it wasn't necessarily a sex talk but it was heading that way.

"Just make sure that you stay focused and you'll find that things will fall into place."

"I never thought I'd ever get away from Albert. I was worried that if I became evil that I'd be punished like I was with him. Are you going to punish me?"

"For tonight?" I asked and he nodded, "No, that's what we do. To some people, it's bad but we have to stay on top. There are worse people out there than us."

He nodded, "I understand."

"Do you?"

"I think so. I should feel bad that I killed someone but…I can't. I just think what he would have done if he was still alive. He would tell on us."

"That's right."

To Alec, the world still held a certain level of childlike innocence. Just like with Bella, they didn't fully understand that things got very serious. They might have heard the stories and seen the pictures but unless you're in a situation when it's your life against another person's you'll never truly feel the threat of death. This world is very black and white. It's either you and your family or them; whoever them was.

Even though he said he was alright, I knew better. Alec was going to be a mess for awhile. We all were after our first time. I never actually showed my pain back then and even now but I still remember having nightmares for about a month. After that, I just accepted my life and it was over.

I helped Alec out of the car and into the elevator. We went up without a word passed between us.

"You can stay in one of the guestrooms." I pulled out my key and unlocked the door when we got to the penthouse. I knew perfectly well that he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

We both walked in and I pulled off my coat. Alec did the same.

"Hang that up." I instructed him and he put it on a hook near the door.

I went into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of water for Alec and handed it to him.

I heard a pair of shuffling feet come down the hallway and Bella emerged looked tired, like she had just woken up.

"You're supposed to be in bed." I rested against the counter and she came to stand in front of me, her head on my chest.

"I was waiting up."

I kissed her hair and whispered, "We'll be having company tonight."

She turned around and Alec waved from the corner, "Hi."

Bella seemed to breathe some life into her body, "Oh, I didn't see you." And then she noticed his bloody knuckles, "What happened?" She went towards him.

"Nothing, I'm fine." He tried to put his hands in his pocket.

"No you're not." Bella yanked Alec's hands towards her so that she could inspect them, "I can't believe you, Edward."

"What did I do?" I asked innocently.

"You're supposed to be looking out for him." She scowled at me.

"I did."

"This is unacceptable." She brought Alec over to the sink and turned on the water, gently rubbing her fingers over his knuckles.

"I'm fine, really." Alec tried to pull back.

"You shut up." She snarled, "I wake up and I expect nothing but then you come home all bloodied up and smelling like ashes. Oh Lord, what else have you been doing tonight?" She turned to me.

I tried to restrain the laughter that was creeping up my throat but I couldn't help it. In her place, Bella's body was substituted with my mother, which was kind of scary. They had the same reactions every time one of us got hurt. It was rather comical.

"You think this is funny?" Bella asked, her lips in a tight line, "He's just a kid, Edward."

"He'll be fine. You can't baby him."

"I understand that but…" She huffed, "…you can shut up too." She continued to wash Alec's knuckles under the water.

"His wounds turn to battle scars after a while." I pulled a beer out of the fridge and popped the top.

"Do you have any salt?" Bella asked without looking at me.

"Above you." I said with a hint of amusement in my voice, "You planning on mixing a margarita?"

"No." She stood on her tip toes to open the cabinet that was stocked with spices, which I never used, "Salt will dry out the wounds and keep the fluid from coming back. They'll heal quicker."

"I thought that was an old wives' tale." I looked on with a raised eyebrow as she plugged up the sink and turned the water to hot so that it filled up.

She poured a handful of Kosher salt in the water that turned an occluded, gray color.

"Coming from a girl who basically lived her life in the hospital from tripping, I know how to heal." Bella took Alec's hands softly and placed them into the water, "This is going to hurt."

Alec hissed through his teeth as he submerged his knuckles in the sink, "Shit."

"No cursing." I said as an immediate reaction.

"Just let them sit for a couple of minutes." Bella wiped her hands off on a dish towel and then came back to me, "Anything I need to heal on you?"

"No, I'm all good." I wrapped my arms around her waist after setting my beer on the counter, "But I wouldn't mind a bath again like that one time." I whispered in her ear.

Alec made a fake gagging sound.

"Just focus on your knuckles." I growled and placed a kiss behind Bella's ear.

"Did he kill tonight?" She asked under her breath so that Alec couldn't hear.

"Yes." I answered.

"His first?"

"Yes."

I felt her head nod and she put her arms over my neck.

"I took care of him." I assured her.

"I know but I just feel bad that he won't be able to be a normal kid. He never will." Bella sighed.

"None of us were." I rested my forehead against hers.

We stayed that way for a long minute. I didn't know what to tell her that would make us seem any less horrible but on some level, I think Bella realized that we weren't ever going to be anything but monsters.

"I think I'm done." Alec took his hands out of the salted water.

Bella kissed me and left to hand him a cloth, "I'll wrap them up before you go to bed. Go take a shower."

He stood there for a second and looked like he was debating with himself before he just gave Bella a hug that swallowed up her small body.

"Thank you." He said and then ran out of the kitchen.

"Why can't you be more like him?" Bella drained the sink, "He's so sweet…"

"Blah, blah, blah. I'll give it maybe a year before I break him out of that."

"He could be like Jasper; all marshmallow. You're just so old and mean." Bella shuddered.

"Really?" I picked her up easily and threw her over my shoulder, "You don't seem to complain in my bed."

"That's because your piano fingers are the devil's play things." She hit my back, "Put me down."

"No, you're being punished." I slapped her ass and climbed the stairs.

"We have a child over, Edward. You better not be thinking dirty thoughts."

"I'm always thinking dirty thoughts." I replied truthfully.

I kicked open the door of my room and threw her on the bed, climbing up myself when she positioned herself.

"I should be checking on him." Bella ran her hands through my hair.

"He can put himself to bed. He's not a baby." I rolled my eyes.

She just tilted her head at me and I knew what she was asking.

I moved off her and plopped on the pillows, "He probably won't sleep tonight and if he does, he'll have to work through nightmares."

"Did you?" Bella rested her head on my shoulder.

"For about a month. I kept seeing all the blood and stuff."

"You're a good big brother."

I laughed, "I try."

"I'm serious." Bella said "He looks up to you."

"Really?" I knew Alec held some sort of admiration for me but I figured it was just because he wanted to learn the tricks of the trade.

"I think he sees Emmett and Jasper as best friends but you're his brother He told me the other day that he wants your approval."

"On what?"

"On…all of this. I can't imagine what kind of life he used to live but he's adjusting well. Does he remember anything about his old life?"

"No. We figured that he was around four when he was taken, probably from London or around there. Carlisle's been working hard to find something, anything." I said.

"It's hard to imagine a world without parents."

"How's Charlie?" I asked, trying to stay on subject and not think about the fragile body on top of mine.

"Fine. He keeps asking if I'm coming home for Thanksgiving. I told him not to bother with a ticket since I know he doesn't have the money."

"Would you like to go?"

"Not really and no, you're not buying me one."

"What about your mother, you want to go see her?"

"God, no" Bella groaned and sat up, "She would just ignore me the whole time I was there anyway."

"I highly doubt she'd do that." I folded my hands behind my head.

"She doesn't even notice it. She's not a bad mother, so to speak but when she gets fixed on something, it's hard to wing her off. She would try to cook dinner and I wouldn't see her for three days while she slaved away in the kitchen or something like that."

"She can't be that bad."

"Think Lucille Ball combined with Pam Anderson. She's the perfect mix of flightiness and has just enough common sense to make it in this world."

"I can't wait to meet her." I said sarcastically.

"I love her though." Bella sighed, "I'll go home to Forks for Christmas, that's only about a month and a half away. Charlie can deal until then."

"I don't want you to separate from him just because of me."

"No, it's not that but…I guess I'm scared to go home. He'll know something is up. At least over the phone, he can't see my lies."

"What have you told him about me?" I joked.

"Nothing. If I even hint at the fact that I have a boyfriend, he'd drive here."

"He sounds a lot like me if I had a daughter." I laughed.

"Have you ever thought about kids?" Bella crossed her legs under her and turned to me.

"I try not to. I know it's expected but I don't want them in the slightest. I hate kids."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I don't know why though. My parents love them so I thought I'd inherit their nature as I grew older but I still can't stand children. I wouldn't be a good father anyway."

"That's true." Bella giggled.

"Leave me alone." I raised up and kissed her shortly, "I'm going to go check on Alec."

She nodded, "I'll be here."

I scooted over the covers until I was out of bed and noticed that it was one in the morning. I knew that Bella had a class later in the afternoon so we could sleep in if we wanted.

I walked down the long hallway with rooms on each side. I could see light coming out from under the door of the one on the far left so I knocked at waited for a reply. There wasn't one.

I pushed the door open and found Alec sprawled out on his back with his chest rising and falling in sleep. He was in nothing but boxers and his hair was still wet from the shower.

I went to turn the light off but as soon as I did, his body jerked. He didn't wake up but I knew what it was. I left the light on and moved his body so that he wouldn't wake up sore in the morning.

I left the room, closing the door behind me and slid to the bottom of the floor, leaning my back against the wall. This was going to be my position for the rest of the night.

After ten minutes, when I didn't return back to bed, Bella came looking for me.

"What are you doing on the floor?" She asked.

"I'm going to stay here…just in case he wakes up."

"Oh." She shrugged and sat on the floor next to me, leaning against me.

"You can go back to bed." I kissed her.

"No, I'll stay with you."

We sat on the floor together and I could feel Bella falling asleep as the minutes turned into hours but she wouldn't leave me.

Sometime around five, Alec woke up with a scream that echoed off the walls.

"What the hell?" Bella's head snapped up, "We have to go see if he's alright." She started to move but I held her down.

"No, he has to work through this. He won't get over it if we wake him up."

"Edward, he could be hurting."

"He's just having a night terror." I held her firmer, "The first night is always the worse."

By the time the penthouse started to fill with morning light, Alec had been screaming for hours but I knew he wasn't truly awake. He was imagining different versions of his first true sin.

Bella wouldn't rest after Alec first started his yells so her eyes had dark bags under them but she said she was fine. As his voice reached us from under the door each time, Bella would shake like Alec's pain was hers but I had to keep her next to me. He wouldn't get any better if she coddled him.

I realized that I was being a hardass but my parents went through the same thing with me, with all of us. After my first kill, I found them sleeping in the hallway and my mother had tear tracks over her soft cheeks. I never understood why they just couldn't go to bed for that first month but now I did.

I feared for the kid and every time he shouted, I wanted to run in there and snap him awake but I knew I couldn't so I sat there.

"Is it over?" Bella asked, her voice thick with sleep and worry.

"He made it through the first night. He'll be fine." I picked us both up off of the floor.

I knocked on Alec's door and pushed it open. He was sitting up in bed stretching his tired muscles.

"How did you sleep?" I asked and went into the room.

"Okay, I guess." He shrugged. His eyes were deeply sunken and his face was pale. I knew Alec wouldn't remember his dreams though. Who would want to remember all of that?

"Do you want something to eat?" Bella poked her head around me.

"Not really." Alec answered.

We stood around awkwardly for a couple of seconds, not really knowing what to do.

"Get dressed and I'll take you home." I nodded to him and then closed the door.

After I dropped Bella off at her dorm, I took Alec home and just decided to stay there and find something constructive to do. The rest of the day, as much as I tried to concentrate, I couldn't really find anything that held my interest.

I had a talk with my father about what had happened the night before and he understood perfectly what I was feeling. He said that we all had to go through our growth period and this was Alec's.

I realized that over the past couple of months, my time hadn't really been spent wisely so I checked over money logs that were becoming foreign to me and made sure to catch up on everything so that I was in the know. I didn't want to appear like I was slacking because I knew Carlisle would take the first opportunity to point out my faults if I started slipping.

After I racked my brain with numbers for hours, I realized that I needed to get in contact with the police department.

Under the guise of "Michael Corleone", I made the call. I know it's cliché but who doesn't love _The Godfather_? I was put in contact with one of my father's many connections in the Organized Crime division. I had to get my facts straight about what was going on with Bella.

I talked without the fear of getting caught and it almost made me laugh at how easy it was to get information out of the police. They were so stupid that my number could come up on the grid and they wouldn't know what to do with it.

Of course, that was just wishful thinking so the talking was done in code. I never used anything related to the words 'Cullen', 'Jacob Black', or 'Bella Swan'. I had to be sure I was protected from all angles.

From my hour long conversation, I got that Jacob was trying to lure Bella away from me and in turn, into his arms with useful information. I got a guarantee that he was the one who had the CD sent over and Bella already told me about the Janice situation so I knew that's how he got it into her dorm without being noticed. He was banking on her getting scared and running away from us. Little did he know, Bella was stronger than that.

Black was waiting for something, anything because he was currently making a fool of himself over there. Of course he had pictures and "stories" but what he didn't have was hard evidence to incriminate any one of us. He was spending all of the Department's time and money on getting the Cullen's locked up. What he was failing to realize was that we were smart. Plus, the mayor and police commissioner were almost brothers with my father but that was beside the point.

"So does he have anyone working to get through our defenses?" I propped my feet up on my desk.

"_Supposedly but no one knows. Only a couple people have that information."_ My informant concluded, _"He's getting very suspicious these days." _

"As he should be." I said, "Who should I be looking at?"

"_I don't know but Dog No. 2's been kind of jittery so I know he's in on it all. He must know something."_ In our messed up world, Dog No. 2 was one of Blacks many close deputies, Embry Call.

"Try to snoop around a little. I need to know what he knows."

"_Sure thing, boss." _

"Get back to me as soon as possible and try to get him off Lily." I sighed. Lily was Bella. How I came up with that, I don't know but it fit.

"_I will. I think the Brass is getting annoyed especially with the Department's dinner coming up. You know the holidays are the time for big donations and you guys are the biggest so anything that annoys you guys is off limits." _

"That's reassuring." I said, "I have to go but keep me updated."

"_Will do." _

I hung up and leaned back in my chair, trying to think of a way to get Bella out of the crossfire that she was in. I never meant for the police to be on her tail but since she was associating with me, it was inevitable. What made it all worse was that Bella's father was a cop. All it would take was one phone call by Black to the police department out in Forks.

I knew Black would never do that though because his entire investigation would be up in smokes if Charlie even caught a whiff of who Bella was hanging out with. There would be an inter-county police brawl that would rival any other. Charlie would probably commandeer the entire state of Washington to come get her and that would create cracks in Black's whole 'get info out of Bella' plan.

A knock on the door, brought me out of my thoughts.

"Come in." I said and straightened up.

Alec poked his head in the room and shyly smiled, "Hi. Ma told me to come and get you for dinner. We're going out and she wants Bella there."

"Okay." I checked my watch and noticed that it was around that time.

"We're meeting at Aqua in about an hour."

I nodded, "You alright." I asked, packing up my stuff.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He hitched his shoulders, avoiding my eyes.

"Why won't you look at me?" I accused.

"Did you hear me last night?" He toed the edge of the carpet.

"Yes." I answered truthfully, "Are you ashamed?"

"I was trying to…keep quiet."

"That will only make it worse." I put on my coat, "Let it out in the first couple of nights and it'll get better."

I made it to the door and my hand was on the knob. I figured I should say something brotherly here or at least give him…a hug, but that wasn't me.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Alec asked with a hint of trepidation before I could open the door.

"Sure." I said without turning around and felt that that was brotherly enough.

I made a call to Bella as I drove into the city from my parents' house and told her about dinner plans. She cursed me for not mentioning it to her sooner and grumbled over the phone about not having anything to wear. I had to hold in my laughter at how nervous she still got around Carlisle and Esme, not because they were a part of the mafia, but because they were my parents.

I pulled up in front of Bella's dorm and just waited in the car because I knew if I went up, we wouldn't make it to dinner because my sexual appetite was outfighting everything else. I just kept my mind free of sexual thought and plugged in my iPod, turning to Krzysztof Penderecki's _Symphony #3: Passacaglia - Allegro Moderato. _

Some might call me dark and they would be right if they based their assumption from my classical music selections. Penderecki's piece was modern, written in 1988, but it could have been from the medial ages with its deep timpani and string melodies that would be more appropriate for a funeral. The dramatic crescendos just lifted the body to the point of otherworldliness and I shut my eyes, trying to soak up all the haunting sounds that I could. It relaxed me.

I don't know how long I sat there but a tap on the window brought me out of my dark thoughts.

I blinked to readjust my eyes and saw Bella waving to get in.

I chuckled and unlocked the door. She slid into the seat and shook off the cold.

"You left me out there long enough." She leaned over for a kiss that I gave her.

"Sorry, I was trapped in a world of classical music." I got into traffic and headed in the right direction.

"What the hell are you listening to?" Bella turned on my iPod to check the musical selection, "This sounds deadly."

"I know. Isn't it great?"

"Sometimes, I worry about you and your mental state. It's obvious that you're not all there but I never thought I would have to worry about what you were listening to."

"It's not that bad. They use it a lot in movies for soundtracks."

"Still, this is kind of morbid stuff." Bella scrolled through what I had and turned up the volume when she arrived at Led Zeppelin's _Stairway to Heaven. _

"Oh Bella, must we listen to this song every time we get into the car?"

"Yes because it's your new anthem. I've decided that you can't be all that bad under there."

"Really?" I decided to amuse her.

"Yes, really. You have to be somewhat of a good person. I'm your woman who's buying you a stairway to heaven."

"I'm pretty sure we could find a better song that fits our predicament."

"Well if you need a good word at the pearly gates, don't come crying to me." She shrugged in all seriousness.

"I'm not debating religious politics with you."

"Good because I'd win." Bella laughed.

We continued to listen to Zepplin and by the time the song was over, I was pulling into the parking lot of Aqua.

"Let me guess, another one of Jasper's fine establishments?" Bella got out of the car when I turned it off.

"Sure is. This is the best in my opinion." I locked the car, wrapped an arm around her waist as I led her inside.

Aqua was voted one of the best seafood restaurants in the city by _The Chicago Tribune _and you couldn't even get a table unless you were planning on spending upwards of five hundred dollars.

The whole interior was done in dark blues and whites that contrasted each other but it was very modern. The main attraction of Aqua was the massive fish tanks that covered the walls, spiraled up to the ceiling and were inlaid into the floor. They held huge lobster, colorful exotic fish, expensive crustaceans and that was just the beginning.

I helped Bella up to the second floor of the restaurant that was open so that everyone could basically see everyone else. There were private rooms in the back but Esme liked to be where she could talk to her friends if they stopped by so we always made it a point to be sociable when the entire family ate out.

We arrived at the massive table up top where Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Rose, and Alec were sitting. Everyone was talking animatedly about something or other and barely saw us arrive.

"Oh, finally. I haven't seen you in days." Esme got up and pushed me out of the way, heading straight for Bella.

"It's good to see you too Esme." Bella hugged her like they were sorority sisters and then went to go say hi to my father who was beckoning her over.

"Great welcome, Ma." I hugged her.

"I see you too much." She fixed the collar of my shirt, "I don't know why you insist on wearing this shirt. It doesn't look right."

"I think it looks fine." I gently pushed her off.

"Well it doesn't. Buy some new clothes." She went to go sit back down.

"I see I'm not even loved here anymore." I joked and pulled out a chair for Bella.

"Shut up. You're not the favorite anymore." Emmett thundered from down the table, "Now it's Bella and Alec."

"I'll have to fight my way back up to the top of the list." I sat down and unbuttoned my jacket, relaxing into my chair. I threw an arm over Bella's seat.

Everyone talked loudly, not really caring that we might be disturbing other patrons but there weren't that many people on the second floor. It was the height of the dinner hour but the bar downstairs was filled with stressed bankers or overworked lawyers.

A couple of waiters had the horrible task of taking our orders, which was no small duty considering that they had nine picky diners six of whom were full blown Italians.

"I want some wine." Bella whispered to me.

"No." I whispered back, only half joking.

"But it's been a long day and I had two tests and…"

"…and you're underage."

"Oh come on, Eddie." Jasper leaned across the table, "Let her get a little loose."

"I'm not going to get drunk, Jasper." Bella corrected him, "I just want a couple of sips."

"This is sooooo good." Alice dramatically swirled some red wine in her glass, "What's this called Rose?" She called down the table.

"Cabernet sauvignon; pressed from the finest Chilean grapes."

"This is just not fair." Bella sat back in her chair.

"One sip" I handed her my glass. I was pathetically horrible at refusing Bella anything whether it be money, which she never asked for or even a simple glass of alcohol.

She took her gulp and handed it back to me, "Thank you." She leaned over and our lips meshed together with wine filled tastes that were making me pass out from the flavors.

"Wahoooooo!" Emmett shouted, "Get her good."

I heard a slap and a couple of grumbles but when I pulled back, all was well.

"You're getting me in trouble." I whispered against Bella's lips.

"Sorry." She laughed.

Appetizers of crab cakes and grilled vegetables were passed around the table.

We all talked about our days, making sure to keep away from family business because we never knew who was listening at the next table but Esme wouldn't allow it anyway. She tried to keep those two lives separate.

About an hour into our meal, I noticed that my father was becoming oddly unobservant to our conversations and kept looking over the banister to the first floor.

"Dad, you alright?" I asked.

"We might have some company." He answered and nodded his head to the side, motioning me to take a look.

I peeked over the ledge of the metal balcony, "Shit."

"Edward, language." Esme scolded.

"Sorry." I moved back into position.

"What is it?" Jasper chomped on a piece of lobster.

"The Volturi's are here." I put my fork down, not wanting to eat anymore.

"All of them?" Emmett groaned moving his head to see, "Minus two. I can't believe that Vienna bitch has the nerve to show her face. At least Heidi isn't here. She's a piece of work, right Edward?"

"Shut up." I growled, not wanting to get into my past sexual adventures with Bella sitting right next to me.

"Oh, Athenadora didn't come? I needed to ask for her peach crumble recipe." Esme moped.

"Ma, you can't talk recipes with the enemy." Jasper rolled his eyes.

"She's not my enemy."

"This is just great." I said.

"At least we're in public so she won't try to kidnap me again." Bella took a sip of her water.

I held her free hand under the table, "I told you that you don't have to worry about your safety with me. I won't let anyone take you again." I whispered.

She nodded and gave a fake, half smile.

"Just don't even look at them." Carlisle fixed his tie, "I'm in no mood to deal with Aro right now."

"Good." I went back to eating.

Another hour passed and thankfully, we were able to keep things easy between everyone. Through all of this, I didn't let the Volturi's out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to make sure that I saw them leave and I wasn't putting Bella in the line of fire again.

As I worked on a piece of chocolate cake that Bella and I were sharing, I lifted my head for a quick second to see Felix's almost black eyes. A grin was plastered on his thin lips.

"Shit, shit, shit." I ran a hand through my hair.

"Good Lord, what is with the cursing?" Esme asked.

"Nothing." I sighed and leaned back in my chair, preparing to probably have a showdown.

I saw Felix lean over to speak with Aro who raised his head to our table. He clapped his hands together and they all got up from their seats.

"Not a word." Carlisle pointed to everyone at the table but especially me, "I'll do all the talking."

Aro, Vienna, Felix and Demetri climbed the stairs slowly. It was almost as if their bodies were floating over the steps. Vienna had a scowl on her face that looked like a bulldog; Aro's ancient self was pasty and fragile as usual. Demetri was trying to pump himself up mentally and I don't think Felix was all the way there. He seemed a few marbles short of a full basket.

Thankfully, the upstairs dining area had been cleared per Jasper's orders an hour earlier so that we could have some privacy when Emmett decided to drink more wine. It was never a good idea to have him around people while drinking. This left the entire second floor left free of patrons.

"Carlisle, what a pleasant surprise." Aro spoke over the chatter of the dining room below us with outstretched arms.

"Aro, always a pleasure." My father stood to greet him.

"How long has it been? At least a couple of months. You said you would call more." Aro, always the over classy creep, said lovingly.

"Real life just got in the way." Carlisle said.

Head nods from all of us were given, without actually saying anything. Esme was of course going off at the mouth, asking how Athenadora was doing. It was just a little too buddy-buddy for me so I sat back and shut up.

"And who do we have here?" Aro asked, noticing Alec at the end of the table.

"A new family member" My father answered, "Alec."

Alec stood up and shook Aro's hand firmly, "It's nice to meet you."

"You as well." Aro eyed him up and down, obviously trying to figure out where he came from, "And you must be the magnificent Bella who I've heard so much about." He turned towards us.

"Yes sir, I guess I am." Bella said and made a move to shake his hand but I wouldn't let her.

"It's so nice to meet you." Aro spoke chillily.

She just nodded.

"You're just as beautiful as they've all said." His eyes shifted to mine, "She's splendid, Edward."

"I know." I replied shortly.

"Well I actually came up because Vienna has some things to say." Aro retracted his hand and pushed his niece forward.

"Yes, there have been some unfortunate events lately." Carlisle put it nicely. In actuality, he was just as furious as I was about Vienna's stupid behavior.

"All in a little fun." Felix had the nerve to laugh.

My fists bunched in my lap to the point of pain. They only eased when Bella slipped her hand into mine, squeezing it lightly.

Vienna pouted and huffed, "I'm sorry I had my bodyguard try to kidnap you." She said like a child who stole a bike, "I didn't mean to."

"I'm not sorry I killed the fucker. I should have strung him up by his legs and let him bleed to death." I snarled and couldn't stop the words out of my mouth.

Bella hit my knee but I wouldn't take back my sentence for anything.

"It was just a joke." Vienna crossed her arms, "You didn't have to kill him."

"A joke?" My voice rose slightly, "He took her from underneath my nose."

"Well then maybe it was your fault." Demetri grinned.

"Fuck you." Jasper said from down the table.

"Boys, please." Aro said, only half-heartedly.

"Thank you for the apology." Bella spoke up.

I looked at her like she was crazy.

"Well you heard her. It was just a joke." Bella gave me the eye as to say 'don't start something over nothing'.

I sat back in my chair with a frown.

"That was very nice to apologize." Aro patted his niece on the back, only further pampering her psychotic notions.

"So I guess it's true then." Felix said to me, his dark eyes trying to borough through my forehead.

"What." I snapped.

"You've found someone worth it." He looked between me and Bella, "I never thought I'd see the day when Edward went soft."

"I'm not soft. I can blow your fucking head off right now if you want." I sat up straighter.

"Please." He knocked off my threat.

"I can see that this isn't going to be a nice meeting." Carlisle wrapped things up, "It was nice to see you all." He spoke to Aro.

"You as well." Aro nodded and ushered everyone away from our table.

Maybe I was just honing in on his voice or maybe I had vampire hearing but as Felix was walking off, I heard him whisper to his brother, "I bet she has a sweet cunt."

I was up from the table, had him by the collar of his shirt and pushed against the wall near the table before anyone could even blink.

"What the hell did you just say?" I got in his face and had the barrel of my gun pointed at his stomach.

Felix had the audacity to snicker in my face, "I knew I would get a reaction out of you."

"I have the mind to rip your spine from your body." I pushed the gun further into his abdomen that he was trying to tighten.

"You don't have the heart to taint your image in front of the babe." His eyes went to Bella.

"I've killed before in front of her and if you don't want your blood on these walls, I would shut your mouth."

"I saw the bodyguards downstairs, they coming up here to help?"

"I don't need their help. If I ever see you even look at Bella again, I will take a drill to your forehead, do I make myself clear?"

"No need for violence." He smirked, "I'm just trying to have some fun with the sweet…cunt." Felix spoke softly and slowly.

I slammed him against the wall harder and had my forearm against his meaty throat.

I was so enraged that I couldn't even think. The only thing that was keeping me from blowing Felix's head off was the fact that I could smell Bella's perfume from behind me, keeping my mind clear from fire.

I heard a pistol cock at my head and saw Demetri to my left.

There was a lot of movement as Emmett, Jasper and Alec all pulled guns out of nowhere and we all created a pentagram with outstretched arms.

"If I ever hear you speak about her like that again, I will kill you." I spoke so deadly that even I was scared.

Felix winced as I pushed the pistol into the gap between ribs. He didn't say anything but I could see the fear in his eyes. Truthfully, I was surprised that I hadn't killed him by now.

I backed up but kept my arm outstretched.

I heard Carlisle heave a heavy sigh behind me, "Gentleman, please. There are ladies present."

"Well then maybe it's time to clear out." Emmett said, his drunken nature totally hidden behind the beast.

"This is not a way to behave in public." Aro came to stand between my gun and his son who kept growling at me like an animal.

"You should teach your son some manners." I replied.

"I would watch who you're speaking to, Edward." He cocked an eyebrow, "You won't always have your family around to help you out."

"Yes he will, Aro." My father was still speaking calmly, "I would like it if you could please leave my family alone. First the kidnapping and now your son's very rude remarks. I would hate to have to take action."

"Is that a threat, Carlisle?"

"I don't make empty promises; you of all people should know that."

Even though my back was turned, I could feel the heat pouring out of Carlisle's eyes as he glared. I bet his face was wrinkle free and his hands were probably clasped behind his back.

"Have a wonderful rest of your night." Aro nodded to all of us and started walking back down the steps. Vienna followed and then Demetri but Felix didn't move.

"Your master is leaving." I said, "You might want to hitch a ride to his ass."

"You know Demetri is the golden child of the family." Emmett chuckled, "Aro wouldn't waste his time with this piece of shit."

"You better watch yourself." Felix took a step forward and the first one to react was Alec who cocked his gun in a second.

"Move another inch and I'll put a bullet through your skull." The kid spoke with such authority and power that was identical to my tone. It scared the hell out of me because if I didn't know any better, I would have thought that I was listening to a fourteen-year old Edward.

"You're just a fucking child. Don't flatter yourself." Felix squinted.

Carlisle sighed again, "We don't really have time for this. Felix, would you like to take this out back so we can end this like real men or would you like to live a couple more years? I'm fine either way."

Felix's lip twitched and he shifted his eyes between all of us before giving up, stomping back down the stairs.

Emmett and Jasper retracted their gun arms but I was still too pissed to move.

I felt a small hand on my back, "Edward." Bella whispered.

I blinked and came back to reality, the fire within me vanishing within seconds.

"Put it down, Edward." She pushed my arm to my side, standing in front of me, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah" I said in a small voice.

"You're purple." She held my face in her hands, "You can't let him get to you."

"I can't help it."

"That's what he wanted, a reaction."

"I know." I combed through my hair and put my gun back in my belt, "Are you alright?" I hugged her.

"I'm fine." She rested her head on my chest and he body was shaking slightly, "That was scary though. I thought you were going to get in trouble."

"That was only the tip of the iceberg with Felix." I sighed, knowing that it wouldn't be the last I heard of him.

"You can't act like that with everyone who makes a rude remark or comment."

"Like hell I can't. He had no right to speak to you like that."

I heard talking from everyone behind me but Bella and I were in our own little world.

"You're going to give yourself a heart attack trying to protect me all of the time."

"I'm willing to risk my health for you." I said truthfully. Similar to last night's gesture, I completely removed my jacket this time and put it over Bella's shoulders.

"Edward, you have to calm down. He is going to be worse now that he knows you reacted that way."

"I'll blow his fucking head off." I growled, not meaning to but just thinking of the things he said about Bella was making me furious again.

She must have been able to sense it, "Just breathe. You're turning purple again."

I took deep heaves to gain oxygen, "I can't believe he had the nerve to call you that."

"It's no big deal."

"It _is_ a big deal. No one should be talking about you that way. Just wait until I see him again…" I let my sentence trail off thinking about how this situation would be different if we had all been in seclusion. I would probably be washing my hands of his blood right now.

Bella pulled me back to our seats and everyone was tense.

"Well, I won't be inviting them for more dinners." Esme nodded authoritatively and took a sip of wine.

I had to laugh at the absurdity that was my life and they all looked at me like I was insane.

"Are you alright?" Bella asked.

"Yeah." I breathed.

Carlisle shook his head, "This is why I don't make friends. They all end up dead or on a wish list for death." He took a bite of crab.

"I love family dinners. Aren't they just fun?" Rose said sarcastically.

"To family." Jasper raised his glass and we all followed.

"To family."

* * *

**HOLY PROTECTIVE EDWARD BATMAN**

**HAVE MERCY, HE'S JUST SO MEAN ISN'T HE? HAHAHA. EDWARD IS JUST VERY SHEILDING WHEN IT COMES TO BELLA. THIS ISN'T EVEN THE BEGINNING. HE WAS NOT VERY HAPPY WAS HE? OH NO HE WASN'T. **

**MORE TO COME ON THE BLOG LATER.**

**ON ANOTHER NOTE, REMEBER HOW I WAS TALKING ABOUT AN AWARD I WAS NOMINATED FOR. WELL THE TIME HAS COME TO GET THOSE FINGERS VOTING.**

GO VISIT-http:/twilightallhumanawards . webs . com/voting . htm

**TWbB IS NOMINATED FOR TWO AWARDS AND I'M SO EXCTITED. YOU CAN VOTE A MAXIMUM OF FIVE TIMES SO GET THOSE MOUSES CLICKING. IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRICIATED. **

**SO...REVIEW, GO VOTE, VISIT THE BLOG TOMORROW FOR RAMBLINGS AND TEASERS, COME BACK ON FRIDAY FOR A NEW CHAPTER. WHEW. I KNOW IT'S ALOT BUT YOU CAN DO IT. **

**JOHNNYBOY OUT! **


	26. Chapter 25

Music of the Heart

BELLA POV

"_Any musician who can stop may be a musician, but they're no artist. If it's in your blood, it can't stop flowing." -Paul Westerberg_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

"So class, this weekend I need you to create a complex word problem," The professor spoke loudly, while all of us plebeians wrote furiously, trying to catch up.

I didn't even lift my head, so that I wouldn't get distracted from the instructions.

"It needs to be comprised of all the things we worked on in class this week. It might sound easy, but you will find that creating a problem from scratch will be one of the hardest things you've ever had to do. The main thing is that it needs to be solvable. Don't give me a messed up word problem that doesn't have any solution," He continued, and a general low chuckle rang out from the students.

"This should be fun," I said to myself, actually kind of happy that I would have something to do this weekend, since Edward left for Boston this morning on emergency business. I didn't ask what it was for and I didn't want to know. I just got a rushed call from him apologizing for foiling our nonexistent plans for the weekend. Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, and Alec were all going with him so, I guessed it had to deal with _that _side of his life. He said that he should be back before Monday, so I hoped he was being safe until I saw him again.

"I need this problem in my hand on Monday morning, right at the beginning of class." The professor walked through the aisles handing out papers with directions.

"Can we work with a partner?" Someone in the back asked.

"Yes, but only one, and you don't have to."

Before I could even think about what I wanted to do in regards to this math project, Seth leaned over and nudged my shoulder.

"You want to work together?" He asked in a whisper, with his usual toothy smile.

"Sure, I guess," I replied, "You do know what you're doing, right?"

"I think I can manage."

"Good, because I'm kind of lost. You'll have to explain some things to me." I admitted.

"No problem. We can work all weekend on it and we should be done by tomorrow actually."

"That sounds good to me." I shrugged.

"I think that's all we have for today." The professor called as students began packing their things up, "Make sure I have those projects on Monday." He reminded.

I worked slowly, gathering my things while Seth threw his backpack over his shoulder, "So, I guess I need your number so I can call you and set up some study sessions."

"Right." I gave him my number and a second later, felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket.

"I sent you a text, so now you have mine. We can meet up tomorrow if you want."

"Sure." I began walking out of the room with Seth following, "We'll probably have to do it at your place." I said, without giving any further explanation. With all of this stuff going on, I had become very weary of people. I wasn't necessarily paranoid or closed off, but Edward warned me of the dangers so I was taking heed.

It had been about a week since that showdown at Aqua with Edward and Felix Volturi. I was still kind of shaken up about that, but it wasn't for normal reasons. I quickly found out that I wasn't really concerned about my safety, which was slightly frightening. I was more worried for Edward.

Every time he got a call from Emmett or told me he was going off to work, I wasn't truly right until I saw him again. My mind would create all theses scenarios of what might be happening or what trouble he could get into. It was scary, and I wasn't really used to all of this yet.

That being said, with regards to me, I tried to be more watchful of people. I couldn't really tell who was good or bad like Edward seemed to be able to, but I kept my life private. I had always been that way. I didn't talk about Edward with anyone because frankly it was none of their business.

The reason I didn't want Seth in my room was because it didn't feel right, and I had learned over the past couple of weeks that my gut instinct was probably correct. He was a good guy, I guess, but I didn't want him anywhere near my dorm. What if Edward had left his gun on the floor, under my bed, in the bathroom? That would take more explaining than I cared to do.

"Is…nine good for you? Too early?" Seth asked when we got outside.

"No, that's fine." I said, "Where do you live?"

"I'll text you the address but it's just across campus in the apartments over there." He pointed behind a row of tress, and I recognized it as the same cluster of buildings where Alice lived.

"No problem." I nodded.

"See you then." He waved as he walked off towards his next class.

The rest of the day, I spent trying not to text Edward because I really wanted to pay attention in my classes. He was making it very difficult to concentrate. Edward was in what I liked to call his "sweet mode" and had been texting me love quotes all day.

That was the way he said 'I love you'. I never heard those three words strung together at the same time or in the same sentence. I think he tried on several occasions to say it but he choked up and just played it off. It was really cute to watch, but sometimes heartbreaking. I knew how he felt so why couldn't he just say it? I wasn't pushing him, and on some level I was actually glad that we didn't have the normal type of boyfriend/girlfriend pressures on us. Instead of dealing with money troubles or hateful parents, we had to endure death threats and bloody wars. I didn't mind as long as Edward stayed safe.

I know that sounds completely stupid but I couldn't help it. This was his life; plain and simple.

Edward was a man of few words when it came to everyone else but me so it was a struggle to watch him show affection when I knew he had things that he wanted to get off his chest. I would wait patiently for him without pushing, because I never wanted to make him feel obligated to tell me what he felt. In the meantime, I was enjoying my love quotes and sweet gestures like flowers or nice dinners. He sure did know how to sweep me off my feet sometimes.

Edward wasn't the typical man and I didn't think he ever would be. Did I want him to be? No, I liked my Edward that I had now. He was an insane mix of crazy and gentlemanly charm that worked perfectly.

I sat in my classes and made sure that I tried to keep my mind off what Edward was doing in Boston. Sometimes I wondered just how the Cullens got away with some of the stuff they did. The police had to have some kind of evidence on them, right? It was unbelievable that Edward wasn't in jail by now, but I knew Carlisle had set up a system that was virtually impenetrable from the outside.

By the time classes were over, I was mentally drained and thankful that the weekend was fast approaching. With Edward gone, I didn't have much to do beside the math project but I knew that would be easy once Seth explained it some more. I got just enough of the instructions down to know what the mechanics of the thing were.

I made it up to my dorm and decided to spend the rest of the day at my computer. I had to write an easy paper that wouldn't take very long but I just had to do it.

I was on the second page of a very intriguing essay on the diamond trade of old world Africa when my phone next to me began to ring.

I peeked at the number and an unconscious smile spread across my face when I answered, "Hi, Esme."

"_Hello, dear." _She said sweetly, "_I was just calling to ask if you wanted to do a little shopping." _

"Really, you wouldn't want Alice or Rose for that job?"

"_Absolutely not. I feel like we don't talk enough. Are you up for it?" _

I checked the clock and closed my books, "Sure. Where do you want me to meet you?"

"_Don't worry. I'll come to pick you up. I'll be there in ten minutes." _

I had no idea what all of this was about, but I didn't mind shopping with Esme. She and I got along really well and Edward said that it was because we were similar versions of each other, but I just liked being in her company. There was no way to have a bad attitude or mope when you were around Esme. She just always made you smile.

I pushed myself up from the desk, re-dressed so that I was warmer and grabbed a coat before leaving my room.

It wasn't that cold outside, so I didn't mind waiting on my bench near the dorm.

Exactly ten minutes later, Esme drove up in a bright, cherry red Audi SUV that made other cars feel inferior, I'm sure. Esme's head was bobbing in the car, and I couldn't help but laugh as I got up and walked towards her. She spotted me and waved furiously, almost like Alice would but with a certain grace about her that I would never achieve.

I opened the car and was immediately pulled into a hug by warm arms.

"I'm so happy to see you." Esme cheered.

"You too. Thank you for inviting me on this shopping excursion, although I don't know how much fun I'll be." I buckled up.

"I heard you had an aversion to shopping, but I promise it's not for you." She pulled out of the space and sped into traffic.

I held on when I realized that Esme must have taught Edward how to drive because their car control was almost exactly the same. They had no respect for traffic signs and rarely obeyed the speed limit. Esme thumped her thumbs on the steering wheel to oldies. She continued to talk like we were best friends throughout the whole drive. She and Alice could both yap forever and not get annoying. It was incredible.

"…so anyway, I told her that she stole my lasagna recipe and she had the nerve to accuse me of theft. Can you believe that?" Esme asked, telling me the story of how a chef tried to rip off one of her prized recipes.

"Sounds like you live quite the life." I laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Of course I do. I don't see how anyone can just sit back and not do nothing all day. It bores me to tears. I have charities to head and dinners to plan and I try to always stay active so that I'm productive."

"Sounds logical." I agreed.

"I still can't believe that Edward found someone like you." Esme sighed, "I'm so glad though. I never thought it would happen."

"What would happen?" The mood in the car suddenly changed to a more solemn one.

"That I would see a light back in his eyes." She said matter-of-factually.

"Light?" I was getting confused.

"Well, after…he got into this life, he kind of diluted, if that makes any sense."

"Do you ever wish that he never got into all of this?"

Esme thought for a second, "It was inevitable."

"You don't sound too sad about that." I noticed we had parked in a spot on the street in front of a very trendy boutique that was still open despite the early nighttime.

"No, it's who he is. It's who all of them are, so I wouldn't expect them to change. It wasn't like they could fight against their instincts; they were born into this. That is always something I regret."

I nodded, kind of understanding what she was saying.

"You know Edward's position and what's expected of him but would you believe me if I told you that he wanted to be race car driver?" She laughed.

"Really?"

"Yeah, for a long time he would always talk about his fast cars. He had this…light in his eyes that was just gone after he got sucked into this life. It's back now." She smiled at me.

I didn't really know what to say to that.

"For the first time in his life, I think he feels like a kid again."

I still didn't know what to say. This seemed like a very heavy subject, and I'm sure with any other mother of a crime member, it would be cause to raise hell but Esme just coasted with all of this. I made a mental note to try and emulate her ease when it came to the safety of her family.

"Enough sad talk." She piped back up, "Time to shop." She reached in the back and pulled out her purse before opening up her door.

I followed quickly and heard the car lock as Esme held the door of the boutique open for me.

It was kind of like stepping into a new world as my feet hit the plush red carpet of the store. I was suddenly questioning what planet I was on, when a very vivacious woman with bright red hair greeted me in French.

I just stood there and nodded until Esme came to join our conversation.

While they spoke a mile a minute, all in a language that could barely understand, I looked around at the suits hanging from the walls. I noticed that this was a men's clothing store, which kind of baffled me. Now that I thought about it I realized that Esme never did specify what we were shopping for.

"Bella, this is my good friend Maggie." Esme introduced me to the fiery-headed glamazon who had boots on that raised her to the sky and a tight dress that probably cost more than a house.

"Very nice to meet you." I went for a handshake, but she wrapped me in a hug.

"So pretty. You must be Edward's beauty." She stated in a thick accent, "I'm so happy to finally meet you. Esme won't shut up about you and…what was her name…Alice."

"Yes, all my boys are finally happy." Esme clapped her hands together, "But more on that later. I came for suits, Maggie."

"I know, I know." She strutted off to the back like the floor was a runway.

"Who is that?" I whispered to Esme when we followed.

"She owns this place and she's been fitting the boys for suits since they was a teenagers."

"He does love his Armani." I said, mentally reviewing his closet in my head.

"You have no idea." Maggie came out from behind a curtain with a garment bag, "One year, he spent upwards of a million dollars just on clothes. This family singlehandedly keeps me in business."

I was kind of in shock even though I shouldn't have been. A million dollars on clothes wasn't even a dent in the Cullens' fortune.

All in all, my shopping trip with Esme was one of the most interesting experiences I had since moving here. We only stayed in that private store, but there were so many clothes that I couldn't keep up.

I learned that Maggie not only sold men's suits but also high end bags that Esme was obsessed with.

We ended the night with a bill so big that I couldn't even count that high. Esme got at least four Chanel purses that were obviously very expensive, and I left the store with my own Prada clutch that Esme insisted I have. It was long and slender with simple black beading throughout. I didn't know where the hell I would use it but she wouldn't take no for an answer. I felt like I needed to attach the bag to my body so that I didn't lose it.

Esme decided not to get anything for Edward since she said he was very particular about what he wore and he would send it back if it wasn't right. Instead, she loaded up her bill with high end clothes from Paris for Carlisle. She got him a tux, two pristine suits that looked like they came out of a movie, and a slew of other designer duds.

I made sure to take note, because I wanted to be with Edward when he came back here. The mental image of him in a tux was enough to make me rub my legs together for some kind of friction.

Normally, I would be a little disturb by the materialism on display, but I felt better after I got over my shock, when Esme ended the shopping spree by signing over a five-hundred thousand dollar check to a charity for the city's orphaned kids that Maggie supported.

"I may not be able to adopt all of them myself but I can at least give them some kind of help." She handed over the check when she was done scribbling her name perfectly, "Thank you for the wonderful things, Maggie."

"No problem and make sure you come back. I hadn't seen you in months."

"That's not true but I'll surely be back."

"And it was nice meeting you, Bella. You're just as lovely as everyone says." Maggie beamed at me.

"Thank you." It was kind of weird hearing people say nice things about me because I had never really been complimented this much before meeting the Cullens and all their friends. It was strange but I rolled with it.

Esme wanted to take me out to dinner after we left the store. I tired to tell her that it wasn't necessary, but she wouldn't even hear my protests. She drove to a nice Italian restaurant, where once again, she was treated like royalty.

We ate and talked for hours, mostly discussing Edward and me when the urge struck her. She had this way of making me open up about everything in a way that I felt safe . Esme also let her guard down a little and we had a very lengthy conversation about how she wasn't at all as perfect as she might appear.

That was interesting, because hearing about Esme's flaws tripped me up a little. She was the kind of woman that the Stepford Wives tried to emulate but not in that creepy robotic way. She was just naturally good; there was no other way to put it.

It was easy to talk with her in a relaxed setting like this.

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" Esme asked as we munched on dessert.

"Nothing. Staying here."

"Well then you should come over." She suggested urgently.

"I'll be wherever Edward is, I guess. I suspect you'll be having a huge feast."

"Usually. But for the first time in a long time, everyone seems to have other plans. It's weird how they all seemed to scurry at the same time."

"If you wanted a break…I could do Thanksgiving." I said timidly, not knowing how to approach the subject. I didn't want her thinking that I was stepping on her toes but I really wanted to help.

"Really?" She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me, "You think you can tackle an Italian Thanksgiving on your first try?"

"I'm sure it can't be that bad." I joked.

She laughed, "Alright then, I'll step back and you can take over."

"The whole thing?" I choked on a piece of tiramisu.

"The whole thing."

"But...you'll help, right?"

"No, I like your idea better. I think i need a break."

_Shit!_

I wasn't banking on her just handing everything over to me. This was kind of a big deal. Now what was I supposed to do? I had gotten myself into a massive pile of crap. Sure I had cooked Thanksgiving for Charlie before, but the portions were a hell of a lot smaller and he would say my food was good even if it were garbage. I had just agreed to cook a massive feast for my boyfriend's family.

"I'm sure you'll do a fantastic job. We can have it at Edward's house." Esme continued to plan.

"I...guess." My voice had suddenly grown apprehensive as I reviewed recipes in my head.

"This should be fun."

The rest of desert was spent with me trying to regain some sort of confidence while Esme relaxed at the prospect of having a free holiday. I was happy to do it but I wished that it wasn't such a rash decision. Now I was sweating bullets because in a little less than two weeks, I was going to be knee deep in marinara sauce.

We dove back into our conversation. She talked about what it was like raising three boys and trying to keep them under control. It sounded like madness.

"What about you? What do you want out of life?" She asked.

"I don't know." I replied truthfully, "I always thought about writing but that's so…hard to break into these days. I don't think I could make a living out of it."

"There are a lot of talented people, but I'm sure you can do it. Have you written before?"

"No, I just enjoy it. If I sat down and pounded something out, I'm sure I could at least get a short novel done at least but who would buy it?"

"I would buy a million copies." She giggled.

"Well thank you but I doubt anyone else would be interested in what my imagination comes up with."

"I always wanted to be a marine biologist but then I majored in art in college so I'm not really sure what I was thinking." Esme said.

"You like to draw?"

"Paint mostly. It's the one thing that kind of comes easy to me. I tried to get Edward into it when he was younger but that didn't take too well."

"Tell me more about Edward's racing dreams." I asked excitedly.

"Oh, well, he wouldn't let up and we thought it was a phase like most kids do when they hit five or six but he was adamant about training for the Indy 500. Carlisle even bought him one of the racing cars for his birthday. I almost had a heart attack that day but he insisted that he was going to get a teacher and everything. Carlisle was always very supportive of the boys. If they wanted to be astronauts, then he was going to make it happen."

"What about policemen, was that an option?" I laughed at the irony.

"Actually, that was Emmett's plan until he realized that he would have to arrest himself one day. That was a rather funny revelation."

"But Edward's always wanted to follow Carlisle?" I took a sip of water.

"Yes, after his racing dreams floated away as he got older, he kind of changed if that makes sense. He was trying to be so much like his father that he left his childhood behind. By the age of thirteen, he was wearing suits and carrying around a gun and…it sometimes breaks my heart to think about what could have been for all of them." She hung her head, "If he didn't love the work so much, I would have been crushed."

"How do you handle it all?"

"Not without pain, I'll tell you that. I get so worried when they're away. That's kind of why I invited you out tonight. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my time with you, but I just needed someone to take my mind off of whatever they're doing."

"I know what you mean." I hesitantly checked my phone, wondering if Edward had texted.

"I just turn mine off or I would never stop looking at it." Esme said when she noticed what I was doing.

"Don't you ever worry that they'll get hurt?"

"I can't. I would pull my hair out. I don't know if I should even be telling you this but a couple years ago, they had to travel to Miami for some kind of business, I didn't ask questions." She leaned over the table, "They were supposed to be gone for a couple of days but I knew something was wrong after I didn't get a call when they arrived."

"What happened?" I asked, not really knowing if I wanted her to finish this story.

"That was the start of the strained between Carlisle and Aro. There was some kind of massive debacle at the airport in Miami when Aro accused Carlisle of stealing. There was just so much crap thrown around that no one even really remembers what the fight was about, but it ended in a shooting match."

I drew in a rush of air.

"You don't know how worried I was when I got a call that all my boys were in a private hospital in the Everglades somewhere being treated for bullet wounds. I jumped on a plane and couldn't even see out of my eyes because I was crying so much."

"Aro…shot at them like that?"

"Well no, it was a whole mix up with the Denalis and something about Venezuelan drug lords. But it was a mess. Carlisle and the boys couldn't leave the hospital for weeks. Have you ever seen Edward without his shirt?"

I blushed as an answer.

Esme laughed, "No, that's not what I meant. I ask because I wanted to know if you've seen the tattoo on his shoulder."

"Um…yes." I replied, thinking about the Italian cursive that I found so sexy.

"Well, he got that to cover up a bullet wound. He won't ever admit it but he couldn't stand seeing the reminder that he had lost, so he plastered a picture over it."

"A bullet wound?" I repeated in shock.

"He couldn't use his entire arm for about six months and he felt so worthless. That was a rough recovery period. It was the first time he had been defeated and he didn't take it well, especially since it was Felix's doing."

"I would imagine."

"That trip to Miami was the only time that I was really scared for them. You have to understand that they know what they're doing. I'm not being arrogant when I say that they're the best. No one is better at what they do than Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, and Edward."

"That makes me slightly relieved."

"I've learned to not worry or I would be in an asylum by now. I trust that they keep each other safe but now I have another boy to worry about. I'm trying not to call. All I can do is pray."

That night after dinner, Esme drove me home and I was too far worried from our talk to focus on my essay anymore.

I wanted for Edward to call, I waited for him to call but he didn't. I tried not to think about what that meant because I couldn't even fathom the bad things that might be happening. Taking Esme's advice, for the first time in a long time, I prayed.

I was surprised that I actually slept that night.

My alarm clock dinged at eight the next morning and I remembered that I had a meeting with Seth today.

I rolled out of bed and took a quick shower before dressing warmly for the day. I grabbed my stuff and made sure that I had all my notes before heading down to the dining hall for breakfast. While checking my phone every two seconds, I gorged myself on bagels and pancakes. After half an hour, I took Esme's advice again and turned off the damn contraption all together.

I sipped a glass of orange juice as I walked down the street towards Seth's apartment. It wasn't a far walk at all and I made it in ten minutes without any trouble. He actually lived on the first floor of the same apartment complex that Alice did, but she lived on the fifth floor. I turned on my phone again to call and ask if I could stop by later but she only cursed me out for waking her up so early.

I rolled my eyes and counted down the apartment numbers until I found Seth's and knocked lightly.

I heard shuffling feet on the other side of the door and Seth opened it wearing one white towel around his waist and running another one through his dark, wet hair. There was water running over the tendons of his chest and abs, while the towel hung low on his hips. His tanned skin seemed to be rippling under an impressive set of muscles and I guess to anyone else, who hadn't seen Edward, he would be considered hot.

"Oh hey, Bella. Is it that time?" He asked with a laugh, "Sorry about this. You can come in if you want."

"You are just one slick dude, aren't you? If I didn't know any better, I would say that you were trying to take advantage of me." I stepped into the modest apartment and took off my jacket.

"Don't flatter yourself, Bella." He chuckled, "Do you want something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine." I held up my glass of orange juice.

"So are you ready to get this thing started?" Seth sat on the couch.

"Uh…Seth, I know this is your house and everything but I would feel more comfortable if you put on some clothes." I laid my bag on the coffee table in the middle of his family room.

"Oh, my bad." He jumped up and headed towards his room, "Sorry."

"No problem." I called back and looked around his house.

It was almost exactly like Alice's although hers managed to look like a million dollar residence while Seth's reminded me of frat houses that I had seen on TV. There was a pizza box on the floor, a large flat screen with an Xbox connected to it and games scattered throughout the room. The adjoining kitchen was a mess and a subtle smell of stale eggs was hanging in the air.

"Is this better?" Seth came out of the room in sweatpants, pulling a sleeveless undershirt over his head.

"I guess." I sighed, "Do all boys like to be naked?"

"Just the good looking ones." He went into the kitchen and brought a bag of chips back, plopping down on the large green sofa next to me.

"So…you said you know how to do this, right?" I pulled out the books from my bag.

"Easy peasy Let's get this thing done." He dusted the chip crumbs off of his hands and we got to work.

To say that I was surprised at Seth's intelligence would be an understatement. He knew his math like the back of his hand and we got done with our project before lunch was even a thought in my head. Not only was he fast, but Seth's mind created a complex word problem that I didn't even attempt to tackle.

I was usually a genius when it came to numbers. They just fit in my head right, and it was easy. But this was hard stuff. Seth just breezed right through it, proving that you never really knew people unless you stepped into their element. He was amazing and I didn't even really get to add my input into the project before he was closing his books.

"So, any plans for the rest of the weekend?" He asked and leaned back against the sofa.

"Uh…no. I planned on doing this for a couple of days but we're obviously done so now I'm going to be bored." I laughed.

"No boyfriend around?" He folded his hands behind his head.

"No, he's in Boston this weekend."

"He seems to be away a lot."

"Not really that much. Just once a month or so." I shrugged.

"Aren't you a freshman?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, nothing but I just got the feeling that he was older."

"Not that much." I argued, getting slightly annoyed.

"You have a sugar daddy?" Seth clutched his stomach in laughter.

"No. Just because he's a little older doesn't mean anything."

"I know. I once dated a girl who was five years older than me."

"That's called a cougar." I gave him 'the look'.

"She was hot though." He sighed in remembrance.

"This is getting a little too frat house for me." I stood up taking my bag with me, "Do I need to do anything else for the project?"

"Nope, I told you it would be easy. We're done. I'll type it up and we can turn it in on Monday."

"Wow, that was less painful than I thought." I said as we walked to the door.

"I guess I'll see you soon then." He opened the door for me.

"Yeah, bye." I waved and instead of heading outside, went to the elevators so that I could ride up to see Alice.

Alice and I spent the rest of the day together. It started raining, so we called it a 'girls day in' and we basically pigged out on her expensive couch.

She was checking her phone like a madwoman, and I guessed that Jasper hadn't called her either. We never talked about the boys though to keep ourselves sane. Alice suddenly had this obsession with 80s classics so anything Brat Pack-related was up for grabs. She ordered pizza and I probably gained ten pounds from all the ice cream I ingested.

I left to waddle back home through the rain around five when I thought I was going to burst from the sugar intake. In the elevator, I decided to turn on my phone and check for messages.

I had one from Renee about how she was going to Jamaica with Phil for the holidays. I promised myself that I was going to call her later. Besides that, there was nothing from Edward. My mood fell a little more at the fact that it had been two days with no word.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply trying to control my rampant imagination.

_He was fine. _I had to believe that.

I got out of the elevator, and a small smile creased my lips when I smelled a fragrance in the air. I nearly ran to my front door, where beautiful bouquets of medium sized yellow flowers were in bloom. There were about twenty of them, and they were all about the size of a golf ball. The striking yellow was almost blinding.

I picked the crystal vase up and fumbled with my key in the door. I opened it and threw my bag on the bed before setting the flowers on the desk. There was a small note in between the stems that I plucked and opened.

_I miss you. I truly do and I promise I'll call as soon as I get the chance. You wouldn't want to know what's going on here, but you're never far from my mind, believe that. _

_-Edward_

_PS-they're called zinnias._

As usual, I fired up my computer and waited for it to load so that I could find out the meaning of this new gesture. While I waited, I sniffed a single flower that smelled of freshly cut grass. From the dew on the petals I knew that they were fresh, not from a store. For the life of me, I couldn't even begin to imagine where Edward got fresh flowers when it was nearly freezing outside. He never ceased to amaze me.

Once the computer was ready, I typed 'yellow zinnia' into Google and chose the first site that came up.

_A yellow zinnia personifies daily remembrance of a loved one. _

I sat back in my chair with a satisfied grin.

"Sly, Edward." I twirled the flower in front of me.

I was in a much better mood as I got in bed that night. When my head hit the pillow, I prayed again for Edward to be safe.

My eyes were almost shut when my phone started vibrating on the nightstand. I sat straight up and ripped it from the charger.

"Hello." I answered because I knew who it was, "Edward, are you there?"

"_Jesus, Bella. It sounds like you were running a marathon." _His smooth voice chuckled, "_Did you get the flowers?" _

"This isn't funny. I haven't heard from you in two days. And yes."

"_I know, I know, but we've been really busy with shit that I don't even care to get into right now." _

I calmed down just happy to hear his voice, "Are you alright? No bruises, cuts or burns?"

"_I'm fine. We're all fine. Don't worry. Although Esme screamed Carlisle's ear off about ten minutes ago." _

"Good. I can't believe you wouldn't call us."

"_To be honest, time kind of slipped our minds." _

"Well fine. How are you?" I grumbled.

"_I'm good. Bored now that work is over. You?" _

"I'm okay. I spent most of the day with Alice but I had this math project to do earlier so my partner and I had to drag ourselves through that."

"_Are you going to get an A?" _

"We better, oh and I spent yesterday with your mother."

"_She told me she was going to call you for dinner or something." _

"It was fun. I always thought that mothers hated me but Esme is so amazing."

"_She has that affect on people." _He laughed.

"By the way, I'm hosting Thanksgiving dinner at your house." I cringed, waiting for the protests.

"_I don't think I heard you. What was that?" _

"We're having Thanksgiving this year…at your house." I repeated.

"_You can't be serious. Please tell me you're not serious." _

"I just suggested it to give Esme a break but she insists that it should be at your place since it's only going to be us. Alice isn't going home either so…"

"_Bella, I don't even like one of them in my house let alone all of them at the same time. Do you know how nerve-wracking that's going to be? Plus, my kitchen has barely been used since I moved 's perfectly clean." _

"I know but this is a good chance to prove myself. I can do this."

"_No you can't. Ever since I was a kid, my mother has a very specific way of doing festive dinners. She'll flip out if it's not done right." _

"Please, Edward." I begged.

"_I don't care if you cook but it's not going to be at my house." _

"It has to be. I feel more comfortable there and I think your mother will want it there."

"_No. Talk to Jasper or Emmett but I'm not hosting anything." _He muttered.

I breathed a sigh of frustration and just stayed silent. Neither one of us talked for a full two minute, which felt like hours in my brain, but I wasn't surrendering first.

"_Just the nine of us?" _He asked under his breath.

"Yes and I promise that I'll keep everything clean." I grinned.

"_Fine." _

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! If you were here right now, I would kiss you." I said quickly.

"_I expect a lot more than that. I hate having them all over at once and now they're going to be eating? I can't stand it." _

"You'll do fine."

"_Well, despite the horrible turn of events, I actually called because I had a surprise for you." _

"Really, what is it?"

"_Just sit and listen." _I heard a shuffle on the other side of the phone and then waited, listening for anything else.

A soft melody of bright chords sprang up and I had to press the phone to my ear so that I could hear them. The notes got louder with time and I realized that Edward was playing the piano.

A string of masterfully placed notes jumped out at me through the phone. I closed my eyes so that I could visualize Edward's fingers as they flew across the keys to create the light, fluffy notes that seemed to float in the air. I had never heard this before and usually, Edward was shy when it came to playing piano in front of me. I thought that I wouldn't approve but that was the farthest thing from the truth.

The song was beautiful and sweet but most of all, it reminded me of myself in some odd way. I didn't know how to explain it and for some reason, I didn't want to think too much. I just wanted to sit here and listen to the surface beauty of the melody.

I don't know how long the piece played but I was in my own little world when he finished.

"_Did you like it?" _Edward's voice asked hesitantly after a few seconds.

I wiped my face free of the small tears, "Did you write that?"

"_Yes, and it took me forever. I haven't composed anything since I was a teenager." _

"It was so beautiful."

"_It was inspired by you and I know that sounds completely cheesy but I just had to put it down on the keys." _

"No, no. It doesn't sound cheesy at all. No one's ever written me a song before."

"_Well I just wanted to call and play that for you and tell you goodnight." _

"Goodnight, Edward."

"_I'll be home soon, I promise." _

"I'll be waiting."

I hung up the phone and buried my face in the pillows as my mind filled with the beautiful notes that Edward just played for me.

I was woken up by my alarm chirping in my ear. Since it was Sunday, I could plan my day to a T. I dragged myself out of bed, my face already plastered with a smile from last night.

Even though he might not be able to say the words, I knew that Edward loved me. There was no doubt about that.

I hopped in the shower and actually hummed to myself as I washed my body. After I was done, I wrapped myself in a towel and stood in front of the mirror to brush the tangles out of my hair. Since I had been getting used to all of this, it wasn't really a problem to do my makeup and hair on Sundays. I just laughed at the fact that two months ago, I would probably be throwing up from the smell of mascara. I wasn't really repulsed anymore at the thought of makeup or dresses or…heels. I never thought I would see the day.

I walked out of the bathroom and spent about five seconds looking in my closet before I found something to wear. Alice was still demanding that I change out all the clothes every week in my closet but I had convinced her to just let me mix and match, within reason, until it was time for the seasons to change. It made no sense for me to change out all my clothes continually.

I chose to wear a navy blue, knitted dress. It had four golden buttons going down each side of the middle that were just for decoration since there was a zipper in the back. The dress had a belt that went around my waist and capped sleeves. It stopped a couple of inches above my knee. Since it was cold outside, I pulled on a pair of black tights and searched on the bottom of my closet for shoes.

It always amazed me how much money women paid for shoes. I had found that labels were very important to these people and I didn't mind dressing up, but when a pair of heels cost more than the mortgage of a house, it kind of made me uneasy. I shook my head as I stuffed my feet into the black Christian Louboutin, four inch, platform pumps that were made of shiny patented leather.

I checked the clock and realized that Esme would be here to pick Alice and me up any minute. I found my favorite jacket out of the ones Alice forced me to wear. It was a cream-colored, military trench coat that was made of a quilted fabric, which was so incredibly warm that I actually had to take it off sometimes.

I fluffed out my hair over my shoulders and put on my mother's watch before switching my keys, phone, and wallet into a purse.

"Okay, good to go." I breathed and checked the room for anything else I needed.

When I was satisfied, I pulled the door open and without even looking, stumbled over something at my feet. I braced myself against the far wall so that I didn't fall and straightened back up.

"What the hell?" I muttered and looked at the floor where I saw a spilled vase of bright purple flowers.

They were distinctive, blue hood-shaped flowers. They were very small and several sprang up from one stem. The leaves were broad and when I picked up the vase, one brushed the skin of my hand. It was almost prickly.

"Oh, Edward." I sighed and took the flowers back inside to set them next to the ones from yesterday. I pulled the card from these but it was different, simple.

_They're called monkshood. _That was all that was on the paper.

I put the note away. I was about to walk back out the door but stopped when the mystery of what they meant was too much of a pull.

I giddily sat down and opened my laptop. I tapped my foot as I waited. It took a little longer than usual and I just sat there because I figured Esme would call when she got here. It must have been ten minutes at least before i was able to get my computer running.

Typing 'monkshood' into the search engine, I waited patiently for results, clicking on the first one as usual.

I sat up straighter as I digested what I was reading on the screen.

_In Europe the poison that was collected from this plant was used to kill wolves and mad dogs hence its other name "Wolfsbane" or "Dogsbane". _

_All parts of the Monkshood plant are poisonous and it must be handled with care. You should wear gloves and wash your hands after touching it as even a mild dose of its poison can cause a serious allergic reaction that can render the 'victim' in need of medical treatment. You don't have to take in the poison by mouth, it can be absorbed through the skin. Be it the stem, the sap, the petals or the roots, this plant is a killer if not given all due care and respect_

A sense of confusion set over me as I examined the words that jumped off of the plant website.

_Beware, deadly, foe is near, warning, run, caution, lethal, fatal. _

I suddenly realized that Edward didn't send these flowers and my breathing stopped a little before I could pull myself together enough to pick up the phone. Maybe it was just my imagination or maybe it was paranoia but my skin started to itch after reading the computer screen.

Something was very, very wrong.

* * *

**HOLY POISONOUS FLOWERS BATMAN**

**OH LORD, NO. CLIFFIEEEE! I KNOW YOU ALL HATE ME BUT THE NEXT PART WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE CHAPTER OVER THE EDGE AND I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT SO I'M SPLITTING IT UP. YOU'RE GOING TO HATE ME MORE FOR THIS NEXT PART...I WON'T BE UPDATING AT ALL NEXT WEEK. **

**I KNOW, I KNOW. I'M SORRY BUT I HAVE TO START SCHOOL AND THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET HECTIC. I STILL PLAN TO KEEP UP MY TWICE A WEEK UPDATES BUT I WON'T BE POSTING ANY CHAPTERS NEXT WEEK. SORRY. **

**IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE BLOG LATER FOR A RAMBLINGS ON THIS CHAPTER AND A TEASER WHEN I HAVE IT**-http:/johnnyboy1029 . blogspot . com/

**WHEN I COME BACK, I PROMISE LOTS OF LEMONS AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU GUYS WANT. **


	27. Chapter 26

Poison

EDWARD POV

"_Slowly the poison the whole blood stream fills. It is not the effort or the failure tires. The waste remains, the waste remains and kills."-Sir William Empson _

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I sat on the private plane that was currently grounded in Boston due to weather and checked my watch for what felt like the millionth time since I woke up.

"I thought the purpose of having our own plane was so that we didn't have to abide by regulations," I muttered to my father in the seat next to me.

"I can't control the weather, son," he replied without lifting his head from his paper. "I've tried though."

"Very funny. Can't you just tell them to go?" I sat back in my chair with a frustrated sigh.

"No, I can't. I want to actually make it back home alive."

"Fine."

I looked outside. The rain was pouring down in buckets. I didn't understand why we couldn't just go up in the air, but the pilot said something about freezing water or some nonsense like that. I didn't really care.

It was currently early Sunday morning, only two days since we left Chicago and luckily, we could get back home early. Or that was the plan at least. On the plane with me were Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, Alec, and a whole slew of bodyguards that were always hanging around nowadays. I think my father wanted to start moving them out into the open because things were starting to get dangerous. We could all feel it.

The whole reason that we were in Boston in the first place was to oversee a large arms shipment that was supposed to be delivered to England. Even though Carlisle had hundreds of men working for him, he always made sure that we were there to monitor big jobs. He said that people's fingers got sticky when no one was watching. The shipment went out a day early, leaving us time to get back to Chicago without any problems.

I checked my watch again and noticed that it was seven in Boston, which meant it was six in Chicago. Bella would be getting up soon for church. I desperately wanted to call her, but I refrained. I would see her soon anyway... if this plane ever got off the fucking ground.

"This is ridiculous." I crossed my arms like a petulant child.

"Shut up and stop whining," Jasper groaned across from me, keeping his eyes shut.

"No, I want to go home. I'm pretty sure I could fly this thing." I made a move to get up, but Carlisle pushed me back down.

"You're not going anywhere. We'll move when we can, Edward. What is with you?" He took off his glasses like he was concerned.

"I don't know." I combed a hand through my hair. I had this weird feeling that had been growing ever since I left Bella. It got stronger as the hours passed; I couldn't explain it.

Benny was supposedly keeping a close eye on her. I still ordered him to stay back, because I knew Bella wasn't comfortable with the idea of bodyguards yet. Their job was to make sure that she didn't get into anything she wasn't supposed to. I didn't want them poking around in her life or tapping her phone records, and other things like that because I didn't want to cross a line. If she wanted to have a night out with friends, then she was allowed to. Obviously; I couldn't make Bella do anything if I tried. The OCD in me wanted to control everything about her life down to the second, but that was far from possible with Bella. As much as I hated to give her space when I felt possible threats near, I understood. But Benny would be watching.

I wasn't her warden, so I tried to keep out of her normal life. She needed some kind of regularity without me breathing down her neck. That's why I didn't do background checks on her school mates or anything intrusive. As long as no one harmed her physically, then I was alright. Benny literally sat outside of Bella's dorm at night to watch the place.

After I realized that Jacob could get access to Bella by being a sneaky bastard and using her roommates to bring things up, I made Benny track anything he thought was suspicious. The only problem was that there was no possible way to know who Black had been in contact with. Anyone of those people could have access to Bella to do his bidding. It frustrated me to the point of near exhaustion that there were so many holes in the dorm's security. It was pathetic. I was temped to just install a surveillance camera in front of her door. I was still working on how to keep her safe without going overboard.

My main idea right now was to just have her move in with me, but that brought a whole new slew of issues that didn't have anything to do with safety. Those problems were mine.

I had never lived with anyone before—with the exception of my family—and I didn't know how I would feel if she moved in. Were we even _ready_ to move into together? It was a big step, and we had only known each other for a couple of months. These insecurities had been plaguing my brain for awhile and only reminded me that I was a feeble human, prone to the downfall of emotions. She was my weakness, and I had admitted that, but I was still trying to convince myself that we were normal. Normal couples moved into together. Normal couples worked out problems together. What made Bella and me so different?

I was learning to walk the line between giving Bella freedom and being overprotective. I knew that if I implied a set of rules like I wanted to with her, she was going to hate me for it. My life would be so much easier if she had a curfew and kept Benny at her side at all hours and called me every five minutes and told me who she was meeting...

I sounded more like her father and I didn't want that, so I kept my distance.

I checked my watch again and sighed as it struck seven-thirty. Bella wouldn't be up for another hour or so in Chicago.

The trip to Boston was a lot worse than when I traveled to Russia. I missed Bella more this time, and it felt like I wasn't really myself without seeing her. I hated to acknowledge that, because it looked like Jasper and Emmett were doing fine.

_So what was wrong with me?_

I felt guilty for not calling, but when you spend forty-eight hours straight in a gun hangar, you kind of forget what day it is. I made up for it though by playing Bella the piece I had composed.

Even I was slightly shocked when my fingers started to move on the keys a couple of weeks ago. It had been a long time since I played something original and whenever I was home alone, I kept going over this same melody. So I had to write it down. The melody grew into a full-blown song a couple of days ago, and I knew Bella would love it. I couldn't wait to play it for her live so that I could see her face.

But once again, that would only be when this plane moved its ass.

"So, what's the problem exactly?" I asked rather annoyingly, but I didn't care.

"Okay, you know what? Just because you're in a pissy mood doesn't mean that the rest of us have to suffer," Emmett said, getting angry. "It's raining outside, Edward, and it's cold so the water freezes. Meaning that it's dangerous. I know you understand the laws of science. It's really simple so shut up and sit back because we're not going anywhere." Once he was finished with his rant, he covered himself up with a thick blanket.

"You're such a raging bitch in the mornings," Jasper laughed from next to him.

Emmett swung his arm like a sledgehammer and struck Jasper dead in the jaw. His neck snapped back, and I could smell the blood from inside Jasper's mouth.

"See what you've done?" My father groaned at me. "You've created a war."

"That wasn't me." I shrugged.

Jasper was pissed and shoved Emmett hard, but it didn't do much damage. "What the hell, dude?"

"You both need to shut up." Emmett covered himself more with the blanket so that he could sleep.

"Emmett, go in the bedroom." My father pushed him out of the chair.

"I was here first. I don't want to." Emmett got up and cursed like a sailor as he dragged his feet towards the back.

"It's like no one has class anymore." Carlisle went back to his paper.

"Son of a bitch." Jasper spit out some blood into a cup. "I'll be right back." He got up and followed Emmett's path.

There was a lot of noise and rumbling from the bedroom, but no one paid any attention to it. Emmett was shouting; Jasper was shouting. I heard walls being punched—blah, blah, blah. I just wanted to go home.

I laughed at how childish my morning was.

By the time we were finally able to get off of the ground, it was eight-thirty here, so I knew Bella was just heading out of the door for church.

The pilot instructed us to turn off our phones, which I felt was unnecessary. I had yet to be convinced that it actually made my flight safer, but I did it for good measure. We took off easily, and even though it was still raining, we were making progress.

Because the weather was so bad, it would take us longer to get back home than usual, but I tried to stay productive.

I sat in a corner of the plane and took out my composition book that I had written some of my pieces in, including Bella's. I had to hide my revived obsession because if Carlisle knew that I was writing again, he would demand that I play and my brothers would just hound me. I spent the first hour going over and making small corrections to Bella's piece. I wanted it to be perfect. When that was done, I started a new one that I promised myself would be done by Christmas. I would probably make my mother's year if I wrote her something. It had been years since she'd heard me play. It proved to be extremely difficult since I didn't have a piano and after another hour, I gave up. I could only string together a small melody—pedestrian at best—since I wasn't at Beethoven level and couldn't hear the perfect pitches in my head.

Alec came to join me with a deck of cards, wanting me to teach him how to play poker. Jasper and Emmett jumped at the opportunity to corrupt the kid even further, and we spent the rest of the trip with our heads bent in card games. I ended up winning about two thousand dollars, so it was a pretty good haul.

By the time the pilot instructed us to get back in our seat belts, I was more than ready to go home. I had never in my life wanted to just return to my penthouse as much as I did now.

"See, it's clear over here." Jasper stared out of the window at the nice, but cold, Chicago air as we prepared to land. He looked pretty banged up with an eye that was about to bruise, a fat lip, and a swollen cheek. Emmett didn't look that much better.

"I'm hungry." Alec leaned over his seat to check out of the window.

"You're always hungry." Emmett shook his head. "We should get him into football."

"He's not in school," I pointed out.

"So, we could start a league. Better yet, how about rugby?"

"I don't like the sound of that." Carlisle shook his head. "And you know your mother will have a fit."

"Too bad. I already have the idea in my head and Thanksgiving is coming up—we could have a tournament," Emmett shouted. There was a general consensus from the army of bodyguards behind him.

I rolled my eyes at the prospect of Thanksgiving this year. It was always a massive event with family and lots of food of course, but I still didn't know how Bella and my mother came up with the idea of having the whole thing at my house. I needed to hear that story since I was still attempting to change their minds. There was no way I was letting everyone in my space with their grubby hands and nasty mouths.

I shuddered at the thought.

The plane landed a couple minutes later. We unbuckled and grabbed our stuff before exiting.

Like it was second nature to us, we all turned on our phones. Mine vibrated non-stop in my hand as it came back alive with text messages, calls and e-mails. I would sift through them all later, but I was more focused on seeing if I had anything from Bella than anything else.

My eyebrows rose when I saw that they were all from my mother. Everyone else had the same look as I did, and our phones didn't stop vibrating as they retrieved all the missed calls.

Carlisle was the first to put his phone to his ear as we waited for our luggage to be unloaded from the cargo bay of the plane.

"What the hell is all of this?" Emmett asked while our father talked to someone, who I assumed to be Esme.

"I don't know but something must have happened." Jasper shrugged.

"She always worries like this when we don't call," I rationalized, hoping that it was nothing more.

"Yeah, but this is a little overboard." Emmett held up his phone. "How am I supposed to delete all of these?"

"Hit the fucking delete button," Alec said like it was obvious. That earned him a slap on the back of the head from Carlisle, who was only barely paying attention to us.

"Ha." Emmett laughed. "That's what you get."

Alec nursed the spot at the base of his neck, grumbling. I waited with honed ears, trying to hear what was going on, but I couldn't make anything out over the roar of the plane's engine.

A couple seconds later, Carlisle slammed his phone shut with a hard look on his face. "We need to go."

"Why? What happened?" I asked as we all sped up to follow him towards the cars.

"We just need to get home. There's been an accident." He got in the back of a giant black SUV.

I was the last one in and shut the door with a thud. "What do you mean an accident? Is Ma hurt or something?"

"No," he answered simply.

"I don't like the sound of this." Jasper shook his head.

My father didn't say anything else the whole way to the house. We knew not to ask, because he wasn't going to give up information. His face didn't move from its set position and for some reason, I became slightly agitated.

I never got scared anymore, but something about this situation told me that it wasn't going to end well, whatever it was.

We all stayed completely silent, with sharp glances between us, as the seconds slowly turned into minutes.

Esme was waiting on the front step of the house as the caravan of cars pulled into the driveway. Her arms were crossed, and she looked more solemn than I had seen her in years.

We were out of the car before it even stopped.

"What the hell is going on?" Emmett spouted off at her, almost angry.

"Who was it?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Her eyes shifted to mine and then down to her feet.

I ripped the front door open and took the stairs three at a time as I charged through the house. I didn't really know what happened, but I swore to God, if Bella was hurt...

I raced up to the third floor and barged through the door of my room, not caring if I busted the thing off of its hinges.

Bella was sitting on my bed with a thermometer stuck in her mouth and Alice and Rose next to her. A doctor rustled around in his bag while he waited on the thermometer to register Bella's temperature.

"What the fuck happened?" I asked, out of breath and trying to take in the situation.

"Nothing," Bella muttered through her thermometer. "Happy to see you too."

She was pale, sickly pale. There was absolutely no color in her face at all. Everyone was dressed in their church clothes. Rose and Alice were holding Bella's hands like she was on her deathbed.

I went to kneel in front of her, pushing the doctor out of the way. "Don't lie to me, Bella. It looks like you saw a ghost. What the hell happened?"

"Ms. Swan just ingested some unhealthy toxins," the doctor answered.

"What the hell does that mean?" I took the thermometer out of Bella's moth and checked it. She was running a little high, but it was nothing serious.

I suddenly got very frantic and jittery because no one was talking. I could sense everyone else come in behind me, but I didn't care.

"Will someone please say something?" I almost shouted. "Why do you look like that?"

Bella held my face in her hands. "Calm down. You'll give yourself a heart attack."

"You need to take these, Miss." The doctor reached over me to hand Bella a couple of white pills.

"Not right now," she replied, not looking away from me.

"Why is he giving you pills?"

"Did you send me flowers this morning?" Bella asked, ignoring my question completely.

"No. I sent them yesterday," I said firmly.

"Are you sure you didn't send any?" Rose asked me in a wishful voice. "If you did, then you need to say something."

"No," I snarled, annoyed by these redundant questions. "Why?"

It was Alice who gave it away. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her head shift to the left. I took my face from Bella's hands and followed Alice's gaze to the windowsill where a pot of small, purple flowers were sitting. They were bell-shaped, and even from here, I could see the tiny thorns on them.

I got off of the floor and went to the window.

There were a lot of protests, but I ignored them until Esme pulled me away from the flowers.

"You can't touch them, Edward," she said worriedly.

"Why? What are they?"

"They're a flower known as monkshood; well to be honest, they're an herb, but even in small doses, they can be poisonous," the doctor replied.

Things snapped together in my mind in an instant.

Bella actually looked scared and didn't meet my gaze, taking back her pills from the doctor instead.

"Who sent you those?" I spoke with an eerie calm that was reminiscent of Carlisle; it was even frightening me.

"I don't know." Bella shrugged.

I went back to the bed and pushed Rose out of the way so I could sit next to Bella. "Let me see your eyes," I commanded.

"The doctor already checked me." She raised her head.

I wasn't a physician, but I knew the indications of poison. Bella's eyes weren't red. That was a good sign. Once toxins hit the eyes, it was over.

"Open your mouth," I said, and she did. There weren't any white spots on her tongue.

"Thankfully, Miss Swan had the foresight to wash her hands. But since she did have some exposure to the plant, she had a bit of a reaction." The doctor tried patting my shoulder, but I thrust him off.

I was so pissed that I couldn't even think properly.

"What the hell is going on?" Emmett sighed. "Now we're getting deadly flowers?"

"Alice got some too, but she didn't touch them." Bella pulled away from me.

"I wasn't even home; I was staying at Jasper's, but they were there when I went to drop my stuff off," Alice said.

"What happened?" I asked Bella. It was like it was only the two of us in the room. I could give a fuck about everyone else, so they didn't even register in my brain.

"Well, you sent me some flowers the night before… and those were waiting for me when I was heading out of the door for church this morning, so I assumed they were from you as well. I... I don't know who sent them, but I called Esme when I read what they were online. The problem was that I had already touched them."

"She just had a small reaction," Esme said from behind me.

"After she woke up-" Rose began.

"Woke up?" I interrupted.

"Oh, I had a small fainting-thing, but the doctor said that was from the plants," Bella said quickly.

I looked down to Bella's left hand. It had a bunch of small red splotches on it that looked like a minor rash.

I was so furious that I couldn't talk. I had to get out, or I was going to blow something up.

I got off the bed and patted myself down for cigarettes. I didn't find any, so I made a move for the door.

"Where are you going?" Bella jumped up and ran in front of me. "Edward, look at me. You can't go starting a war over me."

I realized that my body was shaking when the earth kind of looked like it was vibrating underneath me.

"You're turning purple again," she said. "Just calm down."

"Someone tried to kill you," I muttered through painfully clenched teeth.

"They weren't trying to kill me."

"Bullshit." I ripped myself from her grasp. "Someone sent you poisonous flowers."

"Okay, let's all just think rationally," Carlisle said, stepping in.

"I don't want to think rationally!" I shouted. "Someone tried to poison her!"

_Did no one else understand that?_

"Doctor, if you please." Emmett nearly pushed the stunned man out of the door, locking it behind him when he left.

"We don't know who sent them at all?" Alec picked up a letter that was near the flowers.

I had a lot of things going through my head right now, but they were irrationally based thoughts. That being said, I didn't need anyone to tell me how to handle this.

Without saying a word, I unlocked the door and stomped out of the room. I heard soft feet from behind me, but I was in no mood to talk to Bella. I might say something I would regret later.

"Edward, where are you going?" She asked when I reached the bottom step.

I stopped without turning around. "To handle this."

"What does that mean?" I felt her hand on my back.

"I… I don't know."

"Just sit here and cool off. You're going to get hurt if you do something rash."

I turned around and felt my face crinkle in disbelief. "Are you serious? You were almost poisoned and you don't feel the least bit angry?"

"No. Well, yes, but what am I going to do about it?"

My anger subsided for a second as I looked at the ghostliness of Bella's skin. She had always been sort of pale but nothing like this. It was as if she had no blood in her body at all.

"Nothing." I ran my hand through my hair. "That's my job." I left her standing on the stairs and rushed towards the garage.

I took the Saleen because, let's be honest; there was no faster car in my arsenal.

I didn't know what everyone else was planning on doing about all of this, but that didn't matter. Bella, _my _Bella, was harmed. I didn't know by whom, and I wasn't thinking straight enough to go through the possibilities at the moment. I only knew of a couple of people who were capable of this. But first, before I started pointing fingers, I had to get some answers.

I screeched to a halt in front of Bella's dorm so fast that the wheels sounded like an eagle's cry, and I saw black rubber marks behind the car when I got out and slammed the door.

I made my way into the building and threw a couple hundreds at the guy sitting there. He was protesting like a little bitch and followed me into the lobby.

"Dude, you can't go up there," the guy said. He was new and didn't know me, but I wasn't planning on entertaining his stupid remarks.

"Just take the money and let me be," I warned him.

"You look really pissed. Are you going to kill someone?"

"Yes." I got in the elevator and the doors thankfully closed on his ugly face.

I rode up to Bella's floor, and my senses began to tingle from the prospect of the hunt. I was going to get my answers, even if I had to do this myself. Someone _would_ be punished for hurting Bella.

There was a more logical part of my brain that cursed me for being this way. I didn't even kiss Bella goodbye, nor did I let myself receive a welcome home kiss, for that matter. I was so angry that everything else was blocked out and when I got like this, it was hard to turn myself off. There was something in my head that was screaming at me to breathe and take things slow because I could get in a lot of trouble for some of the things I was planning. But my dominant side, the scary side, was stronger.

The doors opened, and I walked with a purpose towards Bella's room. I didn't have a key, but I didn't need one since I wasn't planning on going in just yet. If I had my way, I would lock everyone in this building and interrogate them until I got some answers.

There were two things troubling me here.

First, someone easily got into not only this room, but Alice's as well, to deliver the plants. Alice lived in a regular apartment with no security, but Bella at least had someone watching the front, right? Which was bullshit because if I could deliver flowers, then so could anyone else.

The person who sent them knew about my flower messages, meaning that we were being watched. Someone had been keeping tabs on me, and I wasn't having it.

The first door I knocked on was Janice's. She was the only person who had delivered something to Bella, so I went with her.

I kept banging on the door until someone answered. A scrawny guy in boxers finally came to the door, wiping his eyes. "What do you want?" he asked sleepily.

I shoved myself into the room. "Janice, wake up," I shouted, pushing some books off of her desk for noise.

"Hey, who the hell do you think you are?" the guy demanded, getting in my face.

I easily tossed him in the chair next to me without a word.

Janice rolled over, and I was thankful that I didn't have to throw her any clothes.

"Who are you?" she asked without lifting her head from the pillow.

"Did you put any flowers in front of Bella's door this morning?"

"What?"

I repeated my question slowly like I was talking to a child, but her answer was still the same.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Janice sat up drowsily. "I didn't give her anything else after that CD."

"Are you sure? Did you see anyone suspicious this morning, drop anything off? Did you hear anything?" I stressed.

"No, no, and no. Go away." She lay back down. "No one gives Bella anything but you."

That was the second problem. Someone knew about my gifts and was turning them into a sick game. They intentionally sent Bella something that would harm her under the guise of a nonthreatening present.

"If you think of anything, you call me." I wrote my number on a piece of paper. "Bella won't be staying here anymore," I said as I walked out of the door.

"Why? Where is she going?" Janice shot up in bed.

"None of your business; just make sure no one is dropping by her room." I slammed the door behind me and got back in the elevator.

I was in the Saleen a couple of minutes later. The roar of the engine seemed to mirror the anger that was still flowing out of my body. I sat there in my rumbling car for a minute while I thought. There were two options of who sent those flowers. Well, I guess there were more, but my mind had only a couple faces at the forefront.

First, was one of the Volturis. Felix, in particular, or maybe Vienna. They were both insane enough to try something so devious, so underhanded, and so deadly. I wouldn't put it past Aro to put them up to it but for some reason, I didn't want to believe that it was them. It just didn't feel right. They would have made a bigger scene and would have left a definite calling card. They liked their evilness known.

I pulled into traffic and didn't bother following laws as I made a hard right towards the police department.

It was illogical to even consider that Jacob Black was involved in any of this. He was a cop, for Christ's sake, but I was more than willing to put everything on the line and accuse him. It had his handwriting all over it. In many ways, he was like me; sneaky, smart, a challenger. He knew what he was doing, and if I were to take a guess, I would say that Black sent those flowers, knowing that they were poisonous, just to get a rise out of me. Well, he was going to get the reaction he wanted.

I was gripping the steering wheel so hard that my hands were throbbing slightly in pain. My pulse was pounding in my ears. I hadn't been this mad in a long time, and I didn't see it getting better any time soon.

The back of my car lifted off of the ground as I stomped on the brakes in the parking lot near the police department. I didn't feel like dealing with the security of the place, so I stayed in the lot across the street.

I slammed the door shut and started off at a brisk pace towards the doors but someone grabbed my elbow, stopping me.

Jasper spun me around. "Edward, what are you thinking?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ripped my arm from his grasp.

"I came to bring you back home. Bella is very upset right now, and she doesn't want you to get into trouble."

"Well, that's not my problem. Go home."

"Not without you."

"Why are you so calm about all of this?" I pulled at my hair. "Someone tried to poison them. You should be going out of your mind."

"That's why Dad doesn't let you take over anything. You run on too many emotions. You have to think, Edward. What do you plan on doing?"

"Something," I answered stupidly, leaving him outside as I went to open the glass door of the building.

The main, downtown office was huge. The department employed over thirteen thousand officers for the city of Chicago, and most of them were located right here in this building. The Organized Crime Division was on the sixth floor, and I was on a mission. I was planning to blast though the building until I got to Black.

But first, I had to go through security.

"Name?" the guard in front of a metal detector asked gruffly.

"Edward Cullen," I said, pulling out my ID and not caring if they knew me or not.

The guard, of course, gave me a skeptical look as he took my ID and reviewed it.

"Do you have a problem?" I was getting impatient.

"Who are you here to see?"

"The commissioner," I lied. "Do you want me to call him?"

He eyed me up and down before ushering me through the metal detector. I left my gun in the car because if I had brought it, I would have used it.

I dealt with a few more stupid questions before the guard finally let me go, and I stepped into an empty elevator. Just as the doors began to close, Jasper dashed in and hit the sixth floor button.

"I'm just as pissed as you are," he said.

I didn't reply.

"Maybe it's not as bad because Alice didn't get hurt, but I'm sorry about Bella. She's really worried about you."

"Why are you here?" I asked without turning to him.

"I figured it was only a matter of time before you showed up to take on Black."

"So you're making sure I don't do anything stupid?"

"I'm here because Bella asked me to come."

"And?"

"And... because I want some answers."

A small grin creased my lips. "I guess some of us aren't as holy as they appear to be."

"Just because I don't make big dramatic scenes, doesn't mean I'm not upset."

I didn't really have time to say anything else because the elevator doors opened, and I was back in hunting mode.

Since it was Sunday, the rooms were almost vacant; only ten officers were around. They were sitting on their asses, watching a football game.

I made my way through the maze of emptied desks and down a window-filled hallway where the offices of higher up deputies lined both sides. Jasper was traipsing behind me easily as we went to the last door on the right.

I didn't even bother knocking.

Black was leaning back in his chair, his feet propped up the desk with a pen in his mouth. He was typing something on the computer. I thought about throwing the damn thing out the window; he was going to listen to me.

I decided to get right into it and slammed my hands on his desk. "You son of a bitch. What the hell did you do?"

He didn't move but raised an eyebrow. "And to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You sent Bella those flowers, didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He leaned back further. "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"Don't play games with me, Black. I understand that we're never going to like each other, but you put Bella in danger."

The left side of his lips lifted in a small smirk. "I take it someone tried to hurt her."

I didn't even realize what I was doing as my arm reached over the desk, and I hit Black dead in the mouth with my fist. He spun around, so that his feet fell, but he shook off the blow.

Jasper was there to pull me back. "Edward, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

"If you ever come near her again, I'll put your lights out." I shrugged Jasper off and straightened myself out.

"Is that a threat, Mr. Cullen?" Black stood up and wiped a drop of blood from his lip.

"Yes," I answered.

"Boss, what the hell?" A bunch of guys ran into the room, not noticing me, and surveyed the damage. It consisted of a toppled-over chair, a bunch of papers on the floor and a bleeding officer.

"Nothing, I just had a run in with an old friend."

I was suddenly the most interesting thing in the room and before I knew it, I had three guns staring me in the face.

"Come to turn yourself in, Cullen?" a fat deputy wheezed.

"Don't flatter yourself. I wanted to straighten some things out." I'd calmed down but my main focus was on Black, even though there were pistols honed in on my head.

"I could have you arrested for assaulting a police officer." Black stuffed his hands in his pockets smugly and walked around the desk. "But what would that do? You'd be out in two minutes tops."

"Put me in jail if you want; I don't give a fuck. But if you come within five steps of Bella ever again, I won't hesitate to kill you. You had no right to get her involved in all of this."

"I had every right the first time you spotted her across some bar and decided to take her home." Black finally grew some balls and started shouting. "How long do you think she's going to stick around, Edward?"

"As long as I keep her safe from scum like you." I moved forward. "Don't even think about looking into her life. I will have people watching you."

"Her father is a fucking cop," he laughed. "She has boundaries."

"First of all, I would appreciate it if you ordered your trash to get their guns off of me and second, I don't care what you think; Bella isn't going anywhere."

"I've never seen you act like this before. What's changed?"

"Nothing. I'm still the same badass you met all those years ago who put a bullet through Clearwater's leg. You remember that? When you fucked up and put your men in danger."

"That wasn't my fault," he growled.

"The judge said it was. I bet you took a big hit over here among the big wigs," I snickered.

"That was years ago. The fact of the matter is you put her in a dangerous situation, and now you're blaming me. I've never touched the girl."

"You wouldn't have to _touch _her if you're sending her cryptic flowers and fucking CDs through her roommates."

"Not my problem. I have no idea what you're talking about with flowers, and she had the right to know about what you do. Were you ever going to tell her?"

"I was getting around to it. That wasn't your job." I pointed at him accusingly and was seriously about to blow my lid in a minute if he didn't shut up.

"You need to learn that you're not invincible, and you've put an innocent girl in danger because of who you are."

"Edward, let's go." Jasper started to pull me out of the door.

"I'll keep a look out for any danger," Black joked with me.

"Oh, fuck you!" I was fighting to get back to him, but Jasper had a tight hold and dragged me out of the room, slamming me against the opposite wall.

"Edward, calm the fuck down. He could have had us both arrested," he whispered. "You could have gotten yourself in big trouble."

"Yeah. And where were you the whole time I was handing him his ass? You could have said something." I pushed him off of me.

"Sometimes, you can learn a lot more by just shutting up." He held up a folded piece of paper in my face. I made a grab for it, but he stuffed it in his pocket.

"What's that?"

"I'll tell you when we're out of here. I bet the commissioner is on his way down, and he'll ask questions." Jasper pushed me down the hall towards the elevators.

We left the building, and I still had enough energy to want another fight. Jasper had to drag me past the security guard we had encountered coming in because I was going to tell him off for just looking at me funny. We headed toward Jasper's Mercedes. I plucked a cigarette out of my pocket and lit it just as we reached his car.

I nodded to the paper he had in his hands. "What's that?" I let out a long puff of smoke that I had been holding in to calm my nerves.

"I think they're tracking Aro." He handed me the paper, which was a phone transcript between Aro and Demetri. It was a bunch of stuff that didn't make any sense, but you never know; it could be important.

"Why the hell do I care about this?"

"We have to cut ties with the Voltuiris."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, "Great, so now we know that they have all of us on their radar. That's so helpful."

"I mean it, Edward. We have to tell Dad that they aren't worth it. You have to bring it up to him. We can't be in business with them."

"This has nothing to do with Bella _or_ the situation that just went on in there."

"It does if you think about the fact that Jacob is trying to take us all down like a totem pole."

I calmed down for a second to think about what my logical brother was saying.

The totem pole was a scam used in the crime world since the beginning of time. It boiled down to one family, working with the police to destroy another. The main tactic was to take out the weakest link from all angles; in this case, Bella. The Volturis were working with that piece of shit Black to hurt our family. Little by little, Bella would be scared into giving up information. She would be threatened and now that I looked at the situation from the outside, it all made perfect sense.

"Son of a fucking bitch." I kicked one of Jasper's tires.

"You have to warn her."

"I'm going to handle it." I stubbed my cigarette out on the pavement and sulked off towards my car, almost ripping the door off.

I pulled out my phone to text Bella.

_Where are you?-E_

I waited for her reply, which came twenty seconds later.

_At your place. Where are you?-B_

_Don't leave.-E_

I backed out of the parking space and sped off towards my penthouse.

So much had happened today that I couldn't really even remember back to when I woke up this morning. I was still mad as hell, but I realized that I needed to calm down so that I could talk with Bella about all of this. Her safety was my main concern, and it was about to drive me insane.

To be perfectly honest, Jacob was completely right. I put Bella in this situation, but I had already come to terms with that fact. Now that she was here, she wasn't leaving, and I was going to make sure that she stayed protected.

I pulled into my parking garage and got out of the car, nearly running towards the elevators and anxiously waiting to jump inside. One finally arrived, and I tapped my foot as I went up. I held the "door closed" button so no one would disrupt my travel.

Bella was going to raise all hell when I implemented these new rules I was thinking about, but she had no choice in the matter. I was going to do anything I had to in order to keep her danger-free. If that meant locking her up, then so be it.

The elevator doors opened. I strode across the foyer and slid my key in the door.

"Bella, are you in here?" I shouted through the house.

I heard feet running down the stairs. She was dressed like she was sleeping. There was a little color back in her face, so I was relieved that she seemed better. "I hope you didn't do anything stupid."

"No, I just stopped off at the police department." I said casually as I went into the kitchen.

She followed me. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"Because I was getting to the bottom of things."

I was stunned at the amount of food that was spread out on the counter and stove. There were pastas, cookies, a whole chicken and what looked like a pot roast.

I looked at Bella skeptically. "Was my mother over?"

"No, I cook when I'm nervous. I made all that stuff at her house and brought it over." She hung her head.

I sighed, realizing how much of a dick I had been. I didn't mean to ever take my anger out on her back at the house, and to be honest, I don't really remember what happened after I found out all this shit.

I didn't really know what to say to make up for it.

"You could start by giving me a kiss." Bella walked up to me where I was resting against the counter. "I've missed you and all I wanted was a kiss, but you ran out of the door so fast..."

I swallowed her words with my lips, meshing our bodies together and pressing her into me with as much force as I could without hurting her.

My tongue had a mind of its own as it swept the inside of her mouth. Her hands took hold in my hair. I had forgotten how incredible this was, and it seemed that my anger had subsided temporarily while Bella's taste invaded my mouth.

The wet noises of kissing filled my ears for upwards of ten minutes and my lungs were screaming for air, but I wasn't moving.

All too soon, it seemed that Bella had had enough and pulled back.

"That's all I wanted." She breathed a laugh. "Are you hungry?"

"Very," I answered.

She fixed me a plate of God-knows-what, but it all looked incredibly amazing. I sat down at the table that I had used only once before to eat while Bella played with some ice in her glass across from me.

"How was Boston?" she asked.

"Fine. Everything's good. How are you feeling?"

"Okay. I have to take some pills for a week, but it's nothing permanent."

"I still can't believe someone did that," I sighed, taking a bite of chicken.

"Did you find out who it was?"

"I have a sneaking suspicion but of course, I didn't get anything concrete."

"Did you think you would?"

"No."

"Then why did you run out of there like that? She answered her own question before I could. "You just wanted to start a fight."

"I was pissed, okay? I had some things to get off of my chest, and I didn't want them to come out to you."

"That's what I'm here for, Edward. I want you to talk to me so that you don't go running off and causing trouble."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I just can't sit back while someone tries to kill you."

"I understand that but-"

"No, you don't understand it, Bella," I stressed. "Things are about to get very dirty, and I'm trying to keep you safe. It would be much appreciated if you would cooperate."

"What are you going to do? Lock me up?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. And Benny's going to be closer, and I want you to call me every hour."

"Are you serious?"

"Oh. And you're not staying in your dorm anymore. You're staying here."

"Yes, sir." She saluted. "By the way, I'm pretty sure this falls under kidnapping." She pushed herself up from the table. "Are you going to ban me from classes too?"

"We'll see," I answered in all truthfulness. "If it comes to that."

"This is unbelievable. I can't sit at home all day just because you're scared."

"I'm not scared, but you have to see the danger you're in."

"Of course I do. I can't even walk out of my dorm without feeling Benny behind me, but I'm not going to stop living my life."

"So you want me to worry at all hours of the day?"

"No, that's my father's problem." Bella huffed. "I don't want to stay here all the time."

"It doesn't really matter what you want. We can go get your stuff tomorrow."

"Go to hell, Edward." She stomped up the stairs like a child.

I guess that might classify as our first fight.

The rest of the day, Bella didn't say one word to me, and I was too stubborn to fall first. She had to see that I was trying to protect her and I got that I was going a little overboard, but she just better be glad that I hadn't installed a tracking chip in her tooth or something crazy like that.

We avoided each other like the plague and couldn't even sit in the same room together without it being heavy with tension. Whenever I tried to explain something to her, she would shut me down and complain that I was being stupid or over controlling. I didn't even bother trying to reason with her because it was pointless. The one thing that she did need to realize was that her safety was my main concern.

By the time the sun set, Bella was in full bitch mode and trashing my apartment... on purpose.

I had to follow behind her with a broom as she chomped loudly on chips, spilling the crumbs everywhere. I was insanely pissed. Whenever I asked her to stop—well, more like shouted at her—she would just look at me and continue, saying, "It's going to get a lot worse if I stay here all the time".

Bella pulled a blanket out of my bedroom when it was time for bed. "I'm sleeping on the couch."

"I don't care." I turned off the lights downstairs and left her to do whatever. This wasn't what I had in mind for my homecoming but if she wanted to act like I child, then I was going to treat her like one.

I climbed into bed that night, still pissed, but acting like I didn't care.

I tossed and turned for about five hours. It was like I used to sleep, with my eyes shut, but my brain going crazy. I couldn't sleep so I gave up after awhile.

I was going to keep her safe, even if she didn't like the plans I implemented. I wasn't letting her dictate things anymore because it was obvious that her way wasn't keeping her out of danger.

Bella was just going to have to accept the changes that were coming her way.

Maybe I should call Carlisle and see how he managed things so well…

By four in the morning, I was fed up with all of this and trudged downstairs where Bella was messily taking up one of the sectionals in my family room.

I quickly picked her up and grabbed her blanket.

"Let me go," she mumbled.

"No, you're staying with me."

"I don't want to stay with you. I hate you." I maneuvered through the furniture. Even in her sleep she fought me.

"You don't. You're just mad at me."

"Same thing. Let me go back to my sofa." Bella began to struggle in my arms, but I held her tightly.

"We're going to bed." I climbed back up the stairs towards my room, and she stopped fighting me, snuggling into my chest

I made it to my room and laid Bella on the bed in her normal spot. When I climbed over her to settle into my space, I saw that she was wide-awake and scowling.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"I hate you," she repeated.

"You could never hate me," I replied with a chuckle.

"This isn't funny, Edward."

"I just don't see why you can't understand where I'm coming from."

"Because you think that your way is the only way." She propped herself up on her elbow. "You could have asked me if I wanted to be kidnapped."

"And you would have fought me on it, so I just skipped over that part."

"You're such a dick." She lay back down and rolled away from me.

I sighed and mimicked her movements so that I was flush against her body. "Bella, you have to agree with me that things are very dangerous and you're in no way equipped to handle them." I moved her shirt over and kissed the sliver of her shoulder that was now revealed to me.

"I do agree, but you can't lock me up. I have a life, you know."

"Just let me do what I do best. I'm not trying to keep you locked up. Well, I am, but it's for good reason." I slid my hand under her shirt and then brushed it over the skin of her hips, molding myself closer to her.

I heard her gulp. "I can't call you every hour. I have better things to do than check in so much, and Benny can't actually sit with me in class."

"Yes, he can. That's what I pay him for." I moved her hair and kissed the exposed part of her neck.

She was still trying to fight me but tilted back so that I could have more access. "I need to have some space."

"I gave it to you and that obviously didn't work. So we're doing things my way now." I let my intentions known as I pressed my now hard cock into the soft flesh of her ass.

"Edward, we need to talk about this. Stop trying to sex me up," she breathed softly.

"Then talk. I'm listening." I kissed behind her ear and let my hand roam over her stomach. I continued down until I was under her panties, stroking her most intimate area with gentle touches.

Needless to say, we didn't get much talking done that night.

* * *

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	28. Chapter 27

Horn of Amalthea

BELLA POV

"_Blood will tell, but often it tells too much._"-Don Marquis

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

"Are these okay?" Edward turned towards me as he stood in front of the mirror.

"Those look fine to me, but I told you that I don't know how to dress a man."

"It's the same as dressing you, minus the boobs," he sighed in a frustrated tone.

"No, it's not, Edward. I have hips and I'm short and I don't have muscle like you do. How am I supposed to know what looks good?" I shrugged.

"Bella, I told you that this was an all day job. You can't flake out on me now."

"You're worse than Alice." I leaned back in my chair, and Edward went behind the curtain again to change.

We were currently in Maggie's store, and Edward had all but kicked her out so that he could try on clothes. Apparently, he needed a new full wardrobe and since winter was right around the corner, that meant jackets, gloves, sweaters, scarves and new pants, along with suits galore.

At first, seeing Edward try on clothes was extremely sexy—and it still was—but enough was enough. How could one man need so many clothes? We'd been in this store for three hours already. He only gave me breaks to pee, and that was it.

I was complaining, but to be honest, I was just happy to be doing _something_.

I'd spent the entire last week after Edward got home from Boston basically holed up in his penthouse. "Stir-crazy" did not begin to describe the way I was feeling.

Since I had been threatened with those fucking ridiculous flowers, Edward had gone a little insane. Correction: he had gone completely insane. He wouldn't let me go out of the house unless it was for school. He would drop me off every morning and actually walk me into my first class, which was always literature, before leaving to start his day.

Benny was with me for the rest of the time, at my side and not moving, unless I was in class. When I wasn't, he hung back. But even then, I could feel him. No one would talk to me anymore because they knew that I had some beast of a bodyguard looking out for me. Even Seth moved across the room in math. I made up some excuse that my father demanded I have Benny around so no one really asked questions.

But I could tell that they wanted to.

After my classes were over for the day, Benny would walk me back to Edward's. Then, I would just… sit there until he returned.

I couldn't say I really minded; I was more than happy to spend all of my time at Edward's. It was just the principle of it all. Edward was holding me prisoner in his apartment. I understood why, but he could have done it in a better way. As of now, he was forcing me to stay with him. All he had to do was ask.

Emmett, Jasper, Alec, and Edward helped me pack up my stuff the day after all of that shit happened. Everything fit in three large boxes that were hauled to Edward's penthouse. My input wasn't even really needed. I could have stayed in bed for the entire day, because I didn't help at all. They just left the boxes in the family room because as of now, I still wasn't all that happy with Edward. I didn't want to just "move it" when he knew that we weren't on good terms.

Every night, I would start off trying to sleep on the couch. Edward would carry me up to his room around three in the morning, and then I would finally let my mind shut off and go to bed.

I understood where he was coming from—of course I did—but who did he think he was? He couldn't just force me to stay with him against my will. Okay, so it wasn't against my will, but I still wasn't very happy with him right now.

When overprotective Edward was out in full force, there was no way to rein him in. There was no way to calm the beast inside, which led me to one saddening conclusion.

I wasn't ever going to be free again.

I knew that I was being overdramatic. Edward said that I wasn't looking at the situation correctly, but he wasn't my father. I had to be able to breathe once and a while. I would even go for Benny taking me out for a walk in the park once a day like a dog, but Edward wouldn't even go for that. If it wasn't for class, then I would never be allowed out of the apartment.

I asked him why he couldn't be more like Jasper who didn't have this same hold on Alice as he did on me, but Edward would just say that Jasper was a pussy and didn't know what he was doing.

Things between Edward and I were tense, to say the least. We would talk casually, but that was about it. There was no kissing, no sex, no late night reading, no dinners; nothing. Edward was trying to find a balance through between being overbearing and stepping back. I gave him credit for that, but things would return to being tense if I asked to go out with Alice and Rose, and he would blow up or stomp off to his room.

This was the first time I had seen daylight that wasn't in a classroom in a week.

To make matters worse, I was stressing about Thanksgiving in a week's time. I had no idea what I was going to do, but that was part of the reason Edward and I were out today. We were going grocery shopping so that I could go through a mock dinner.

"Bella, are you paying attention?" Edward asked from his spot in front of the mirror.

I nodded. "Yeah, those look good."

"You don't care," he chuckled.

"I care when they're on you, but all of this shopping is just so much. I thought we were going to be done after two hours."

Maggie reappeared out of nowhere. "Any measurements I need to re-take?" she sang with a tape measure.

Edward told on me like a petulant child. "No, I think I'm fine but Bella won't give me any positive feedback."

I shrugged. "I said he looked good."

"Say exceptional," Maggie whispered to me. "He responds to that better."

I nodded frantically.

The next suit Edward tried on, I was determined to make it his last.

"What about this one?" He spun around in a navy blue suit that really did look incredible on him.

"It's exceptional," I replied as I fixed his lapel.

"Really?"

"Yes." I smiled at him. It looked like he wanted to move in for a kiss but decided against it at the last moment.

"I guess I'm done then." Edward started to take off his jacket. "Maggie, can you ring everything up please? And you can just have them delivered sometime next week."

"I sure will, Edward." She bounced off to the front of the store.

"Okay, so now off to do your stuff." He started redressing in the suit he was wearing before. "Anywhere in particular?"

"Well since you woke me up at the crack of dawn and I haven't eaten since, I would say lunch and _then_ we can go grocery shopping."

"I hate grocery shopping," he grumbled as we walked up to the cash register.

"I can go by myself," I said hopefully.

"I don't hate it that much." Edward paid of his things and signed the bill without even looking at it.

I decided it wasn't worth getting into that debate this afternoon, so I stayed quiet.

"What are you in the mood for?" he asked me when we walked outside and down the street to his car.

"Whatever you want is fine. I don't mind," I said and ducked into my seat.

As soon as he was in the car, we sped off into the traffic. I tried to make small conversation, but Edward seemed to be over it for the day. If one of us wanted to talk, then the other one didn't and vice versa. I knew at some point we were going to have to discuss things. Preferably _before _Thanksgiving.

I would love an apology for the way Edward was acting towards me, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.

"Do you have any homework for the week?" Edward took my hand and intertwined our fingers. I was irritated but not enough to pull away.

"Not really. We're only in school two days next week and then we're out for Thanksgiving, so I just have a test."

"That doesn't sound too bad."

"I should be okay, but I'll be glad when this semester is over. I can't wait to get out of math. I hate that class."

"Math makes the world go round, Bella," he snickered.

"No, it doesn't. Books make the world go round and from here on out, I'm going to take literature classes and that's it."

"Are you nervous about cooking dinner?"

"Yes, and I'm going to need your help." I sat up straighter. "I'm glad you asked."

"Bella, I don't cook. I can't cook."

"I know, but you can at least do the things I teach you today. Then by next week, you'll be perfect."

"Uh, and what do my duties entail?"

"Just cutting up some ingredients. I know you know how to use a knife. You can do it."

"I don't want to ruin your moment. What if I don't cut something right?"

"I'll teach you. Please? It would be a really big help."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, but don't expect it to be perfect. I can only do some much in a week."

"You'll be helping me a lot. I already have a menu." I pulled out the small packet of papers that were in my bag. "I still don't know if I want to make bragoli yet. Does Esme?"

"I don't think you should make a menu that comes close to hers. You won't win."

"This isn't a competition, but I still want to make the classics." I took out a pen and began scribbling in the margins, trying to make an ingredient list.

"I have a feeling that I'm going to be spending thousands of dollars on this holiday."

I ignored him and continued. "And since you don't have any respectable cooking wear or plates for that matter, we need to stop off and get all those too."

Edward groaned, but I cut him off before he could even say something.

"Edward, don't even start. I just bought clothes with you for hours, and I didn't complain once."

"Out loud. I could read your mind."

"Well then, you'll know that I kept my mouth shut so that you couldn't complain when we needed to do my shopping."

He sighed. "You're right. I won't say a word but we need to get cleaning supplies. I'll be following them all around with disinfectant."

"I bet you have tons of that stuff hidden away in a closet somewhere."

"Well, I need more."

I went back to my shopping list and chewed on my pen as Edward sped through the streets. I tried not to pay attention at how illegal his driving was. He seemed to think that normal vehicular laws didn't apply to him. It was terrifying; I couldn't look out of the window or I might throw up. I mean, we weren't on a racetrack for God's sake.

Edward left me alone to work and we arrived at a restaurant, simply titled, Food, ten minutes later.

We went inside, grateful for the escape from the blistering cold. Edward was given his normal table in the back by a too-friendly hostess who was touching him an awful lot.

"Is there anything I can get for you, Edward?" she giggled and ran her hand over his shoulder while we were seating, totally ignoring me.

"I'll have a Heineken. Anything you want, Bella?"

"Just water, please," I told the woman, whose name was apparently Sharon.

"We haven't seen you in awhile." Sharon leaned over the table so that Edward could get a nice look at her boobs.

I wanted to rip the blonde hair out of her head.

"Yeah, I've been busy." Edward looked down at his menu with a furrowed brow. "Can we have our drinks, please?"

"Of course. I'll be right back." She brushed her hand over his back, and he shuddered.

Edward tried not to look at me for the next minute or so and kept his head down. Sharon came back to the table with our drinks and discreetly slipped a piece of paper into Edward's lap. He acted like he didn't notice it; but if I did, then he certainly did.

"I'm not fucking her," he grumbled and took a swig of his beer.

"I didn't say you were." I shrugged.

"You have that look on your face."

"What look?"

"Don't play games, Bella. I would never do that to you."

I nodded. "I know. That's why I'm not going crazy at the fact that some girl is throwing herself at you."

He leaned back in the booth. "Why is that? You never ask me where I'm going or who I'm seeing. It's never occurred to you that I might be cheating, especially with my track record?"

"It crosses my mind every day," I replied truthfully. "But I trust you enough to not let those thoughts creep into my head."

Edward looked at me skeptically before nodding thoughtfully. "Well, I'm not cheating on you... if you were wondering. You're too good for that."

"Thank you... I guess." I sort of smiled at his words. "And I'm not cheating on you."

"What other option is better than me?" Edward gloated.

"You're so humble," I joked.

We kept our conversation going, and I was thankful that we were still talking because truthfully, I missed his voice.

The air was always so filled with tension nowadays that we were rarely on good terms. He was stressed about my safety; I was stressed with school and real life, and we were both too stubborn to let the other win this petty game of dominance. I knew he would win in the end because ultimately, he was right. I was in danger and needed protecting, but there must be better ways about going through this than just _his_ way.

For the first time in about a week, Edward and I laughed with each other. I think we were both trying to have lunch in a bubble of naiveté, not letting the outside world get to us.

"Do you have any plans for Christmas?" I asked Edward as I took a bite of the gigantic steak that he insisted I order. He said it was the best in the city.

"Who knows? I usually just sit at home with Emmett and Jasper, but I think they're doing stuff."

"It sounds like you'll be all alone." I pouted dramatically.

"I could go home with you," he suggested.

"Yeah... that's not an option."

"Jasper's going to meet Alice's father. I could just slip in for a day and at least introduce myself to Charlie."

"No, no, no," I said adamantly. "If you stay for one day, then I'll want you to stay for more."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Well, no, but I don't want to have to lie in front of my father. I'm not good at lying when it comes to him. I would give us away. And wouldn't he recognize you?"

"Maybe my father, but probably not me."

I let the thought creep into my head for one second before it fluttered away, "No, I can't have you in Forks."

"And you think it wouldn't be a dead giveaway that some man had followed you halfway across the country just to meet him? I think he would know that I'm your boyfriend."

"I know that but think of all the stories we would have to keep up with. First, the whole mob thing is obviously a problem, but Charlie would flip out just the same if he knew you were twenty-five. Mike was six months older than me, and he almost killed me when he thought we were dating."

Edward stopped eating. "Mike? Who's Mike?"

"You know, Mike." I shrugged. "I've told you about him."

He raised an eyebrow. "I have a strong recollection of each man's name that has come out of your mouth since meeting you and not once have I heard 'Mike'."

"Oh, well, Mike is just... a friend." I shrunk back into the booth, not knowing what else to say.

"A friend? I don't think so. What the hell does that mean?" Edward put his fork down completely.

"He was a long time ago, and he wasn't my boyfriend."

"So, he was your sex buddy?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"How long?" Edward growled.

"All throughout high school?" I said, more like a question. "I told you that I wasn't a virgin."

"I know that, but I didn't realize you had a regular fuck friend. I'm not hungry anymore."

"Edward, it's not that serious. We just had fun sometimes. Not once have I brought up your many late night flings."

"But that's my M.O; that's what I do... or did, at least. I knew you had boyfriends, but I never thought it would be this bad." He called a waiter over for the check.

"I can't believe you're jealous because of a high school friend."

"He was more than a friend, and you never told me about him."

"You never told me about all your _companions._" I put the word in quotations.

"Because you never asked. And if you had, I would have told you that there were… many."

"Okay, so what's the problem?"

"I don't like this guy. Does Charlie know about him?"

"No, I don't talk to my father about my sex life, and it wasn't like Mike and I were in some relationship."

"That would have been better. In a relationship, sex comes with it, but you just had filthy sex. That's a sin, Bella." Edward scrunched up his face and crossed his arms.

It was actually cute and funny to see him this way, but I kept my giggles at bay.

"You're being irrational." I continued to eat my meal.

"No, I'm not and now, I'm definitely going to Forks to find this Mike guy."

"You're staying right here over Christmas. I'm not dealing with you going crazy over there."

"You can't tell me what to do. I'm buying a ticket," Edward said with a hint of finality.

"You're staying here. Why don't you go on vacation with you parents? Esme said they were going to the Bahamas."

"That was an option, but now I need to meet this guy of yours."

"_Ex_-guy," I stressed.

"Whatever." Edward huffed like a child.

"You're too cute."

"I'm mad."

Edward was being petty and angry with me for the rest of the meal, groaning about how I "deceitfully kept information from him because I knew he would be upset". I could only roll my eyes at his assumptions. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but Edward was blowing this whole thing out of proportion.

By the time we left Food, he was in a better mood but was still muttering something under his breath about killing Mike.

Edward drove to a department store so that we could pick out flatware for Thanksgiving since he didn't have anything at the house. It was a wonder that he had survived all this time without forks or suitable plates.

"Do you have anything particular that you want?" Edward asked me as we rode the escalator up towards house wares.

I handed him my list.

He looked over it. "You want to outfit me with a whole new house? I'm sure I have some of this stuff."

"You have two plates and two cups. There are no pots, no pans, and we already know that your fridge is permanently bare."

"I'm not that bad." He handed me back my paper.

"Yes, you are." We got off of the escalator. "Okay, silverware first." I pushed him towards the silverware, and we got started.

I could already tell that things weren't going to be as easy as I thought. Edward had no idea what was supposed to be in a normal kitchen and barely knew the difference between a fork and spoon. It was _bad_.

We spent an entire hour in the silverware department, trying to figure out which pieces Edward liked best. They were always too formal or too girly or too big or too small. After a while, he just gave up and told me to pick everything out, but that wouldn't do me any good because I needed his input.

"What about these?" I asked and pointed to a set that had blue handles.

"Whatever." He shrugged and continued to type on his phone, which he hadn't looked up from in half an hour.

"Edward, you have to pay attention," I complained.

"No, I don't. Pick whatever you want." He pointed to something. "Get those."

"That is the display. We went through this. They ran out of those. This is your house so you need to give me something to work with here."

Edward put away his phone and held my face in his hands, squeezing my cheeks together. "Pick whatever you want. This is your dinner." He kissed my forehead.

"Fine, I'll just ask Benny." I searched around and found him, not really looking through bed linens. I caught his eye and called him over.

Benny came over to me. "Yes, Miss?"

"Which one of these do you like best?" I waved at the assortment of silverware.

"Uh..." He looked at Edward.

"Just choose," I stated, bringing his attention back to the issue at hand.

He tapped his chin and spent a silent minute looking though the selection. "This one, Miss." He held up the same blue ones that I liked earlier.

"Thank you." I smiled at Edward. "Do you like these?"

He looked them over. "I guess."

"Good. I'll get three sets." I put the boxes in the cart that Edward currently pushing. "Okay, now off to pots and pans."

All together, we spent three hours in that department store. Edward finally got in the groove of things when I took his phone away from him. I really did need his input because all of this stuff was going in his kitchen and if he didn't like it, then it would be pointless to buy. He'd throw it out, anyway.

We had two cartloads of stuff. They were filled to the brim with everything I would need to create a feast, and I was getting kind of excited to have the latest equipment at my disposal. Of course, to Edward, five hundred dollars for a blender was nothing so we got the best of everything.

At the checkout line, four huge men suddenly appeared out of nowhere to help us carry bags to the car. Edward said they were the "untouchables"; the bodyguards who didn't speak but were always watching. That scared me slightly, but I just kept my mind focused on Thanksgiving.

Edward's BMW was so stuffed that I had to sit with three bags in my lap on the way to Whole Foods. I didn't even know if we were going to have enough room, but he assured me we would make it.

Another two hours of food shopping later, and Edward and I were arguing over mushrooms.

"You don't even know what this is." I held up a large shiitake.

"I know I don't like them."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Get these." He pointed to another bushel of mushrooms.

"My lasagna doesn't call for those."

"I'm tired of fighting," he groaned. "Get whatever," he said and then stomped off.

"Where are you going?"

"Outside to smoke," he called back and several people looked at him funny.

As soon as Edward's spot next to me was vacant, Benny moved in.

"I can help, Miss," he said.

_Hallelujah! _

The rest of the time I spent with my new shopping partner, there were no problems whatsoever. We finished easily half an hour later. Once again, the carts were packed, but we managed to shove them all into the car with help from Edward, who was still in a funk. I didn't bother him on the ride home. I figured it would be best if we just had some time to ourselves.

The bodyguards helped us carry up every single one of the bags when we reached the penthouse. It took two trips from all of us, but we did it.

Once the bags were laid out in the kitchen, I started unpacking them all by myself.

Edward came in with workout clothes on. "I'm going to the gym." He put the ear buds in his ears.

"I thought you were going to help me?"

"I just need to run first." He kept his head down as he left me alone; the door slammed a couple seconds later. I heard the alarm key being punched in from the other side and a loud lock echoed throughout the apartment.

I sighed and got back to work.

I changed out of my clothes when things were unpacked, opting for something more comfortable for when I prepared my feast. We were going to be eating off of this stuff for days. The rhythmic chopping of the vegetables and prepping of the food calmed me down slightly, but my mind never left what was going on with Edward and me.

We were both being stupid and stubborn. At this point, I wasn't even sure what we were mad at each other for. Then I remembered that I was a prisoner here. To be honest, I didn't really know what I expected Edward to do, but there had to be something better than this, right? I'm pretty sure that this was illegal and fell under the category of kidnapping.

I continued to chop and cook while muttering to myself for God knows how long. I was in my zone, as I liked to call it, and nothing was going to distract me.

I was in the middle of a zesty marinara sauce that was going to be the base for all my dishes, when I felt large hands on my hips and warm lips on my neck.

"I don't want to fight with you anymore," Edward whispered and made a circuit from below my ear to my shoulder.

"I'm sorry for being such a bitch..."

"No, don't apologize. You just have to understand that I'm trying to keep you safe." He turned me around so that I was facing him. He was so close that I could taste his breath.

"I know that, but you can't lock me up. I can't stay here forever."

"I know. I never meant to make you feel like a prisoner. I just... I've never had anything in my life that I can't lose," Edward said shyly.

"You're not going to lose me. I'm not going anywhere."

"You shouldn't even be here. You're eighteen years old, and this your first year of college. You should be out there having fun. I've gotten you into such a bad position..."

"Stop blaming yourself. I know what I've gotten into." I pulled him closer by tangling my fingers in his sweaty hair. Now that I was so close to him, I could smell the salt from his skin and noticed that his shirt was off. This could only go down one road.

"I want you to have a life and I'm making this horrible for you; I know I am."

"Yes, you are, but I'm willing to stay here because I love you. I know you're just trying to keep me protected." I stood up to kiss the underside of his jaw.

"Bella, I can't lose you. I won't." He gripped my hips almost painfully.

"You won't. I promise." I kissed him fully on the mouth. The sweat from his forehead was dripping, but I didn't mind it at all.

I felt Edward reach behind me to turn off the stove. He lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around him without breaking our kiss.

"We can't fight anymore," I said as his lips moved to my neck. "I don't want to fight anymore."

"I promise; we won't. I'll deal with toning myself down." Edward tried to walk through the house but was crashing into walls and on several occasions, I felt my back hit something behind me.

"Where are we going?" I panted as he climbed the stairs.

"To our favorite room," he answered and recaptured my lips.

I breathed in deeply, smelling the scent of old books as Edward carried us into the library.

He pushed his tongue into my hot mouth aggressively, dominating the kiss as he usually did. I let out a deep, throaty moan with the sensation, not embarrassed by it at all. My fingers were locked in his hair so tightly that I was expecting to smell blood soon.

He pulled back slightly to look at me. "I'm sorry. I never say that, but I have to now. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"I'm so nervous that if I let you out of my sight, I won't see you again. Something might happen, and I can't let it. I'm trying to be proactive here and... I love you."

"You... love me?"

His eyes burned with a fire that I'd never seen before. I thought he was just saying it because we were currently in the throes of passion, but the look in his irises told me that he believed the words he was saying. "I love you. No more thinking. I _know _that I love you."

His fingers trailed up my side to my breasts, and he began to gently massage them.

I moaned. "You love me," I repeated, trying to ingrain how that felt into my head.

"I might not say it but that's why I'm being such I dick. I love you."

With that admission, Edward became more urgent, his fingers going for the waistband of my sweatpants and his lips reclaiming mine roughly without a second's hesitation.

Just moments later, I was in my shirt but pantless. It always amazed me at how quickly Edward could get undressed and not even break a kiss, but I felt the silky fabric of his boxers as he pushed himself deeper between my legs, his hardness brushing across my center.

I lifted off of the desk so that he could remove my shirt. Edward didn't even bother with foreplay, nearly ripping my bra off a second later.

I moaned at the feeling of him against me as he began to rock his hips to meet mine on the desk.

Edward stared at my chest unashamedly, almost hungrily.

"God, Bella. Your tits are so fucking perfect…" He trailed off, reaching out to touch them.

I moved closer to him, and he began to gently knead my breasts.

He pinched my nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger, and then grinned and leaned down, taking the other nipple into his mouth and running his tongue across it.

I groaned as I felt his fingers trailing towards my panties. My back arched as I felt the anticipation grow in my core. He pulled me up to meet his chest for a quick second and let my hair out of the ponytail that it was in so that it fell over my shoulders.

"There, that's better," he said as he laid me back down.

He pushed my panties down swiftly and ran his index finger along my bare slit. "Oh, fuck. Bella, you're already drenched. There's cum on your thighs. That is so fucking _hot_. Are you that horny?" he asked, pulling off his boxer and revealing himself to me.

I could only nod because I was already falling over the edge.

"Open your legs," Edward commanded with a voice that was more like a growl.

I shuddered and willingly complied.

He trailed his fingers from my knees up to my inner thighs, and then violently pulled my body towards him so my ass rested on the very edge of the cold wooden desk.

I felt the tip of his length at my entrance and gasped quietly as he rubbed himself up and down my slit, never creating enough friction to satisfy me but just enough to tease me like he wanted.

I moaned and tried to create a coherent sentence. "Edward…"

He looked up, a sly smile on lips. "Do you have something you want to say, Bella?"

"I... I... shut up." My lower half was on fire, so it was hard to think.

"What is it, love?" he asked.

"Ughh," I moaned again, still finding it hard to speak as he moved his tip more furiously against me.

He jerked upwards slightly, and his erection brushed my clit, causing me to cry out loudly. My shouts echoed off of the books in the room.

"What do you want? Tell me what you want, Bella," he said firmly, reaching up and pinching my nipple again, making me squirm against the wood.

"Oh, God, Edward. I want your cock _in_ me."

I waited expectantly, but he still didn't move.

"Where do you want my cock?" he asked. "You have to tell me or I can't help you." Edward brushed some hair out of my face.

I moaned again and couldn't bring myself to say anything. I guess that was his cue to take control.

He thrust into me with such force that it was bordering on earth-shattering. I felt myself stretch for him as he entered me in one stroke, and my whole body cried out for more.

"Edward!" I cried out as he pulled back again, only to pound into me even harder.

He began to move sharply, going faster and faster as he dug into my core.

"Oh, God," I gasped. "Harder!"

He followed my instructions and pounded into me with such force that the whole desk shook under the pressure. This wasn't a love making session. This was a much needed, much desired fuck.

There wasn't much time to savor anything and my legs began to shake after a couple of minutes from the intense pleasure ripping through my body.

"I love you, Bella. And I really mean that." Edward kissed me with so much passion, that I was finally pushed off the edge I had been clinging to.

We both exploded at the same time, screaming each other's names as his cock pulsed inside of me, our juices mixing then leaking out and running down my thigh. I felt the stickiness as I clamped my legs around him. His seed was dripping out of me and onto the desk. I could smell the evidence of our lust in the air as we finished.

Edward fell over me, his rock hard body pining me into the desk.

"Let's see Mike do that," Edward chuckled and kissed my shoulder.

"Here we go again." I breathlessly laughed and held him closer to me. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you too, Bella. I always will; don't doubt that."

* * *

The next week, though I wasn't sure how, passed by without either of us starting an argument with the other.

True to his word, Edward backed down on the "Keep Bella in Ft. Knox" plan and lightened up. Granted, I wasn't totally free, but it was nice to go from having to call him ten times a day to three. Benny was still closer than he used to be, but I didn't think he was going anywhere anytime soon.

Edward's anxious nature seemed to dissipate as the days went by, and he realized that I was perfectly safe with the four background bodyguards. The way he acted towards the whole situation got a lot better as well.

Every time I would say that I was walking to the store or asked him not to take me to school that day, he would get very nervous, but he would let me go. Of course, I knew there were bodyguards surrounding me constantly, but besides Benny, I never saw any of them.

I gave up trying to sleep on the couch in the family room and now went straight up to Edward's bed like I used to. We both seemed to have given up trying to beat each other in whatever stupid, stubborn game we'd been playing, so it was easy to just be us when there wasn't a cloud of annoyance hanging over our heads.

For the most part, living with Edward was... interesting.

I had never lived with anyone before besides my parents, so I didn't know how this was supposed to go, but even I could tell that Edward was strange. I knew this already, but to see him in action every day was peculiar.

First off, everything had to be sparkling clean before we went to bed so that when we woke up in the morning, Edward's day could get started. If things got out of order or even had slight disarray to them, the whole world would stop until he could right the wrong.

Second, there was a certain schedule that had to be followed every morning for every activity. Maybe I hadn't noticed it before because I had never stayed with him on normal occasions. Now that I was here, I noticed just how perfect Edward tried to make his life. I started to count the minutes he was in the shower because it seemed to all be the same. I had found that he would spend exactly twenty-seven minutes in there, and then come out to dress.

After a while, I understood the groove he had created for himself and tried to stay in line so that I didn't mess anything up.

Since I only had two days of school, I spent the rest of the week mostly by myself trying to perfect my dishes. Thanksgiving was on Thursday, and by Tuesday, I had done everything twice just to make sure it was perfect. Edward was sick of all the food, but I made him eat it so that he could tell me what he thought. All he would ever say was that it was perfect or something like that.

I wasn't trying to outdo Esme, but I just wanted to make sure that things at least tasted good or they would never let me forget it. Emmett had been bugging me all week to be a guinea pig, and I eventually let him come into the house when Edward was working one day. I suddenly realized that I was going to have to make about double the amount of food because Emmett could eat everything by himself.

I got more anxious as the days progressed and everyone kept asking me if there was anything they could do, but until I actually had to cook on Thanksgiving Day, I was good. I was pre-cooking some dishes, although, most of them were going to have to be done on the spot because I didn't want them sitting for any long periods of time.

On the morning of Thanksgiving, I was up at four and stayed in my pajamas to start cooking. I was nervous and I was slightly sick, but I promised Esme that I would do this, so I was. I just had to get over everything else. I don't know why I was pushing myself so hard. I think I just wanted to gain some kind of clout within the family, which made no sense whatsoever.

Everyone had their own niche within the family except for me. All I seemed to bring was disaster, but I was determined to change that.

I was up before the sun and had pots boiling all over the kitchen.

"Bella, what the hell is going on?" Edward dragged his feet in around seven, wiping his eyes with just boxers on. I tried not to look at him so that I could concentrate.

"I'm cooking. Did I wake you? Sorry."

"No, you didn't, but don't you think you should be sleeping?"

"I didn't get a chance to last night."

"I don't think this is healthy. You might need to take a break."

"I would, but I have a cake to bake."

"I don't think my mother ever did all of this by herself." Edward dipped his finger in the carrot soup I was currently stirring.

"Rose and Alice are coming over in a couple of hours and if you touch my soup again, I'll chop your finger off." I hit his shoulder but he grabbed my hand, pulling me towards his hard chest and burying his head in my neck.

"Take a break. You've been cooking for days." He gave my skin a kiss.

"I can't. After today, then we can just lie back and breathe. Sleep all day, stay up all night." I ran my hands through his hair. "Whatever we want."

"That sounds nice. You promise?" He gave me another kiss.

"I promise, but first, you have to let me cook." I pushed him off of me and went back to my stirring.

"You're no fun," Edward pouted.

"You know you're job, right?"

"Yes, Bella. We've been going over this for days." He rolled his eyes. "I'm to set the table and make sure that it's perfect and try not to follow people around with a broom, but I'm telling you right now that if they spill something, I'm shutting this operation down."

"You have to let them have a good time. That's the only way this will work," I almost pleaded.

"I will make sure that this goes perfectly." Edward wrapped his arms around me. "Nothing will be out of place."

I got back to work and had to kick Edward out of the kitchen because he kept eating everything or trying to distract me. His huge kitchen provided me with the perfect workspace, and I was getting into the groove of things as I continued to cook all the recipes on my list. I had pre-chopped everything last night so I basically just had to throw it all together. Dinner was going to be served at five, so I still had lots of time. Esme called and asked if I needed help, yet again, but I told her I was fine.

I called Charlie and wished him "Happy Thanksgiving", and he complained that it just wasn't the same without me. I made sure that he was eating, and he said he was going over his "friend's" house who just happened to be a woman. He wouldn't say much more than that. I called Renee as well, but she was harder to get a hold of since she was flouncing around on a Caribbean island. She finally called me back though, but we kept our conversation short.

Alice came over around noon and didn't even stop in the kitchen. She pushed Edward upstairs so that she could pick something out for him to wear. I told her to just get me something as well because I didn't have any desire to search through racks of clothes today. They spent a good amount of time up in Edward's bedroom, arguing over dress shirts as they tried to pick something out.

At two, there was a knock on the door. I rushed over to answer it, and Rosalie came into the apartment wearing a short and classy red dress that put us all to shame.

"I'm here. Tell me what I need to do." She put her bag down.

"Thank God." I hugged her. "I need you to make the cream sauce. Mine keeps breaking."

She waved a hand. "That's because you're skimping on the butter. I told you that you can't skimp on the butter, Bella. It makes everything taste better."

"How do you look like that?" I pointed to her toned and sculpted body.

"Genetics. They don't make them like me every day."

I pulled her into the kitchen, and she got an apron from the cabinet before wrapping it around her body.

"Look at this, Bella." She held up my failed attempt at cream sauce for the fettuccine. "I told you to use the big pot. No wonder it's not working."

"I tried." I focused on the pot roast in the oven.

"Good thing you have me."

Alice joined us in the kitchen after she'd finished with Edward and helped out with the desserts. Edward, on the other hand, decided to stay upstairs and watch TV so that he was out of the way.

"I'm so happy that we're having dinner together," Alice said as she frosted a cake on the counter. "My dad was usually on business every holiday."

"My dad kicked me out when I was fifteen so I never really had holidays." Rose tended to some pasta.

"What's the deal with that, if you don't mind me asking?" Alice inquired.

"No, I don't mind talking about it," she sighed. "Basically, he's some stuffy conservative, Republican-type guy who didn't like the fact that I wasn't politically aligned with him."

"Sounds fun," I said as I tasted some soup.

"Of course it was. Anyway, my older sister got pregnant and she was unmarried so to him, that was kind of a slap in the face and when I supported her, he didn't take very well to that. I was fifteen. She was twenty but in college. He stopped paying for her school and kicked me out."

"You can't be serious? What did you do?" I asked.

"I went to live with my grandmother. My mom died when I was young so I didn't have anyone else to stay with. I ended up here for college and then met Emmett." She shrugged. "I haven't talked to my father in over ten years."

"Wow," Alice sighed. "That's tough. What a douche."

"He really is. Last I heard, he was having heart problems," Rose said. "I think he's about to die."

We stayed quiet for a long minute.

"Are you going to go see him?" I asked, stepping outside of the appropriate "friend zone".

"I don't think so. I 'm a very bitter bitch when it comes to him. I can hold a grudge forever, and all I can remember is standing outside of the house, begging to be let back in. To me, he died the day I left. My sister's forgiven him though."

Alice and I looked at each other without saying anything before we all went back to our respective chores of cooking.

After the initial weight of discomfort faded, there was no more talk about dads or messed up families.

"Okay, so we have to hold the pan away from the fire," I told Rose as she was about to add the vodka to the sauce.

She scrunched up her face. "I know what to do, Bella."

"Yeah, that's what you say, but I'm not gluing your eyelashes back on."

"Just hold it."

"Maybe I should move." Alice backed up from the stove.

"Shut up, I won't kill us." Rose rolled her eyes. I held the pan when she added the liquor and a blue flame shot into the air and almost engulfed us all.

"Jesus Christ, Rose." I threw the pot back on the burner and away from me. "I thought you knew what you were doing?"

"It wasn't that bad," she argued.

"I think my hair is burned." Alice picked at her shoulder-length locks. "I swear to God, if my hair is burned, I will kill you."

"You look fine. Let's go again."

"You go again. I'm standing over there." I rushed over and ducked behind the island.

"Cowards." Rose poured more vodka into the burning, white sauce.

After the impressive fire show, the cooking was almost done. Everything was either baking or resting in the ovens. We were completely done around three and everyone was supposed to get here around four. I had just enough time to spare to get ready.

Of course, Emmett and Jasper arrived just as we finished up and sat on the couch to watch a football game. I handed Rose and Alice the task of keeping them away from the food and raced upstairs to Edward's room.

"Your brothers are downstairs." I said to Edward as I stumbled out my clothes, heading towards the shower.

Edward didn't move from his spot on the bed. He was dressing in a nice suit with his arms crossed over his head, looking less than pleased.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked.

"Have they messed anything up yet?"

"Oh, don't do this to me now." I went over to him and climbed into his lap, straddling his waist. "Please go downstairs and set the table."

"Is my kitchen filthy? I heard the screaming." His hands massaged my hips tenderly.

"It was just a little vodka accident." I kissed his jaw. "Don't worry about it."

"I can't _not_ worry about it. I've been up here pulling out my hair because I keep thinking about the mess I'm going to be cleaning up for days."

I sat back and put my hands on his shoulders. "I'm going to smack some sense into you in a minute. Calm down; have fun."

"I tried to tell you the same thing while you were cooking for the past three days."

"That was different."

"I don't see how, but I'll appease you so that you're day will go perfectly."

"Well, don't be so excited," I replied sarcastically. "Go set the table." I kissed him softly so that we didn't waste time.

"Yes, Mistress." He kissed me back.

Edward left me alone to shower, and I jumped under the hot water. I was getting more and more nervous as the minutes went on, and I hoped that everything went smoothly. I rushed through the motions and just washed my hair and body with whatever Edward had in his shower.

I got out after only fifteen minutes and covered myself with a towel.

Alice had laid out a nice dress on the dresser for me complete with accessories and shoes.

The tag read Victoria Beckham again and Alice said she liked to dress me in her stuff because I was slender enough to make it look good. The dress was cream colored and hugged my body until it flared out at my hips. It was very classic and 1950's-esque with its capped sleeves, along with the way it cinched my waist.

I had a string of pearls that went around my neck and a jeweled barrette that I put in my hair. I left half of it down with the top portion up so that it stayed out of my face but was still loose. Of course, since my dress was somewhat simple, Alice had to spice my look up with a pair or ruby red, five inch pumps that were really nice and surprisingly comfortable.

"Okay, you look good." I brushed my hair in the mirror and turned around to make sure I didn't have any wrinkles in my dress. I dusted my face with a few makeup products, and I was finally done.

I walked downstairs and the smells that were filling up the apartment were amazing. I suddenly realized that I hadn't eaten all day and my stomach growled at the scent of a basting turkey. Everything looked good in the kitchen where Alice and Rose were manning the food, so I went to go check on the boys.

"No, Emmett. This goes here." Jasper moved a wine glass from the left of a plate to the right.

There was a long table in the dining room with ten places. The fine china and crystal that Edward and I bought was set nicely on a light blue tablecloth. We were sitting right in front of the large window so that we could see the city below; it looked spectacular.

"No, it goes here." Edward pushed the glass back where it was. "If you move it again, I'll punch you in the mouth."

"According to Google, the white wine glass goes to the left of the red," Emmett read from his phone. "Both of you numb-nuts are wrong."

"Okay, well, at least we got the silverware right," Edward sighed.

I kept watching them humorously from the arch in the dining room for about three more minutes before Emmett noticed me.

"There you are." He turned to face me. "Tell these two that the dessert fork goes up top. That's the way it always is."

"Looks like you all are doing fine to me." I wrapped an arm around Edward.

"You look beautiful." He kissed me.

"Okay, get your hands off so that we can finish the table." Jasper pulled us apart. "I still have to teach you to fold a napkin right."

"Save me," Edward mouthed as he was pushed to the other side of the table.

I just waved and went back to the kitchen.

"How are we doing in here?" I asked Rose and Alice.

"Good, I think everything's done except for the cookies. I had to start over." Alice said.

"Why? What happened?"

"Rose was distracting me."

"I was not," Rosalie argued. "She just can't read the ingredients."

I was about to say something else but there was a knock on the door that made me stop in my tracks.

"Just fix it," I said and went to answer the door where Edward was already standing.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes, are you?"

"As long as my house stays clean." He opened the door where a happy Esme, Carlisle, and Alec were standing.

"Hi, we're early, but I had to see what was going on." Esme came in and gave me a hug.

"Everything's fine and ready to go."

"I brought wine." Carlisle raised two bottles and Alec had more in his hands. "You look wonderful, Bella."

"Thank you. You look dapper as usual." I hugged him as well.

"Of course. It's a special occasion," he chuckled.

"What kind of wine is that?" Edward asked Alec.

"I don't know. Red and white?"

"Good, we need to drink." Edward took them.

We all exchanged "Happy Thanksgiving's" and Esme commented on how lovely everything was. I could see her wanting to look in the pots, but she was restraining herself.

It took about three trips to bring all of the food to the perfectly set table that the boys were gloating over. There were thirteen main dishes and countless more side dishes along with a row of desserts in the kitchen. All the normal Thanksgiving favorites were there, but I knew how much this family loved their Italian food, so I didn't shy away from having a lot of it present.

Since it was Edward's house, he and I sat at the head of the long table and the respective couples sat together. Alec was left by himself at the other end, but he didn't mind because he was currently having a love affair with the spaghetti Bolognese.

"So, I think Edward should say the prayer," Carlisle spoke when we all sat down to eat.

Edward had been a little fidgety with everyone around and the imminent threat of messiness, but he did well as long as I held his hand.

"No, I think you should," he replied.

"Nonsense. This is your house and your gathering, so by all means."

Edward sighed heavily and then started off on the long Italian prayer that I had memorized by now since they said it at every meal. He finished a couple of minutes later, and we all crossed ourselves.

"We do the 'what we're thankful for' thing after we eat," he whispered to me.

"Gotcha."

Edward got up and carved the turkey perfectly with unwavering hands and a very sharp knife.

"Bella, I must say that this all looks fabulous," Esme commented as food was passed around.

Edward loaded my plate up with whatever came our way. He always said that I needed more because I looked too skinny.

"Thank you, but Alice and Rose helped."

"Not really, we just polished," Rose said. "You did well."

"And we didn't burn anything, minus my hair," Alice giggled.

"I can't wait to dig in." Emmett clapped his hands together. "Let's hope you didn't screw up."

I held my breath as everybody took a bite. After hearing their sounds of approval, I could finally smile.

"Is it good?" I asked Edward.

"Delicious," he said.

Dinner was, from what people told me, amazing. I thought it was okay. I could have done better, but I didn't say that. Wine glasses were always kept full, even mine. I didn't really know how Esme did this every Sunday, because I was exhausted. We all talked about the most random things, but it was fun.

Carlisle kept talking to me about something called the Horn of Amalthea, which Edward explained was basically the Greek story of the cornucopia. It explained how Zeus provided everything in abundance to his foster mother from the simple horn of a goat. Anything she desired would overflow from the horn and that translated to our modern Thanksgiving.

Carlisle was a very smart man, and I tried to keep up with him, but for the most part, I talked with Esme who continued to praise my cooking.

"So, Edward, guess who I saw the other day?" Emmett asked him from down the table.

"Who?"

"Vanessa Carlison. She asked me how you were."

"Emmett, not now," Edward groaned.

"You can't avoid all your past hos forever," Jasper snickered.

"Who's Vanessa?" I asked hesitantly.

"No one," Edward replied quickly. "She's no one."

"Oh, come on, Eddie. You remember her... the freaky one?" Jasper wiggled his eyebrows.

"Can we not do this right now?" Carlisle took a sip of his wine. "I don't think I want to hear any of this."

"I agree." Edward nodded and I could tell that he was trying not to look at me.

"Well, since it's already out there, I think she still has a thing for you. She kept asking when you were going to come back to her bar and things like that. She was creeping me out." Emmett shuddered.

"Who is she?" I asked again.

"A little fling Edward had a couple years ago. She was freaky as hell and liked nipple clamps and whips, things like that," Jasper informed me.

"Interesting," was the only thing I could come up with.

"Who is the freakiest girl you've slept with?" Emmett asked Edward.

"I don't know. She would be I guess," he answered under his breath.

Jasper laughed. "I thought you were going to say Rosalie."

There was a certain shift in the air after those words. Everyone stopped eating except for me, because I forgot that not all of us at the table were privy to that information.

Emmett looked very confused for a second. "What does that mean?"

The food on our plates suddenly became the most interesting thing in the room. I just pushed some chicken around and prayed that he just let it go.

"Hello, I asked a question. What the hell did that mean?" Emmett repeated.

Carlisle heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head. Esme was looking between everyone like her head was going to spin around. Alec was the only one still eating. I knew that this wouldn't turn out well.

"Rose..." Emmett waited for an answer.

"I think I have to use the restroom." Rosalie made a move to get up from the table, but Emmett held her down.

He then turned his attention to Edward.

"Please tell me that you didn't fuck Rosalie." His eyes got very hard with anger.

Edward didn't say anything but shrugged as if it was nothing.

"Are you serious?"

"It was before you two even got together, and it was just a couple times. She was annoying me, anyway." Edward drained his wine glass.

"Yeah, right. Edward just couldn't handle me," Rose spat. "It was nothing, Emmett. Just let it go."

"No, I won't. What the hell? Does everyone know about this but me?"

"I didn't know," Alec said through a mouthful of lasagna. Jasper slapped a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.

Emmett's shoulders were heaving and his body looked to be shaking, but his face wasn't purple like Edward's would have been.

"Tell me what happened."

"I don't think now is such a good time for this," Esme interjected. "Bella, this risotto is incredible."

"Thank you. I used a spoonful of cream right at the end." I went along with her plan to derail the conversation.

"Well, I'll have to try that sometime because this is just divine and the mushrooms just add a certain earthiness to it."

"No, no, no. Fuck the risotto," Emmett shouted. "I want to know what happened."

Edward tried to brush it off. "Nothing happened."

"Maybe you shouldn't be talking right now," I whispered to him.

"Look, it was in the past. Case closed."

"When was this?" Emmett looked between all of us.

"Before I even met you. Remember, you were in Europe for the first couple of months after I started working there, and I had only seen you once before you left and then... Edward and I just... you know," Rose explained. "It was nothing. It meant nothing."

"So you substituted me?" Emmett was mad as hell.

"No, don't look at it that way. I didn't even know you then."

"Still, you knew that I liked you."

Edward jumped in. "The point of the matter is that you didn't make a move, so I did."

"I want an apology from both of you," Emmett said.

"I really am sorry for not telling you, but I didn't think it would matter. It was old news." Rose hung her head.

That was a lie. If it wasn't such a big deal, then she would have told Emmett years ago. I wasn't that hung up on this whole situation because all of this happened way before I came along, and I knew that Edward had some questionable companions in the past. I couldn't help that, but there were family connections here that were creating a very tangled web.

"I'm not apologizing for having fun." Edward filled his wine glass again. "You were out of the country; you hadn't even talked to the girl because you were so shy and then, on top of that, you even told me that you weren't going to make a move."

"I was trying to get my mind right. It was obvious that I was head over heels for Rose and the whole Europe thing was no excuse. I want my apology, Edward."

"I don't hand out apologies lightly so no."

Emmett got up from his seat and came over to Edward like a tank, pulling him up by the collar of his shirt. "I want my apology. You broke the brother code."

"Get your hands off of me." Edward shoved him away. "It wasn't my fault, and I didn't break any brother code since she wasn't yours yet."

"I'm not a piece of meat." Rose crossed her arms. "You're both being ridiculous."

"Apologize." Emmett pushed Edward.

"No." Edward pushed back.

There was a loud crash and Edward was flipped over the table in a second.

There was a lot of noise from everyone and food was everywhere as Emmett pounced on top of Edward like a jungle cat. We all got up to try and separate them, but that was a lost cause. Jasper was pulling on Emmett with all his strength while Carlisle was shouting like a ringleader, forcing everyone to calm down.

The table collapsed under both Emmett's and Edward's weight and everything came crashing to the floor with a loud clang.

"Edward, get off of him," I shouted when Edward flipped them both over and started pummeling Emmett with his fists.

"No, he started it, so I'm going to finish it," was his response.

Of course, Emmett, being the size that he was, could easily throw Edward around, so they rolled over all the food, staining their clothes different colors.

"This can't be happening." I held my head in my hands.

Rose started shouting at Jasper for even bringing this whole situation up, and he was shouting back at her for not telling Emmett sooner. Carlisle and Esme were busy trying to rein in their sons. I didn't know where Alice was, but I think she was looking for her Taser. Alec was just eating.

I couldn't take the yells anymore and left the chaotic scene, clumping upstairs without a word.

The sounds from downstairs were enormously loud; I slammed the door the library shut so that I didn't have to hear it anymore.

"Why the hell can't I just have a normal dinner?" I stuffed my face into a pillow on the sofa and screamed. I stayed that way for ten minutes. I counted.

"Bella, are you in here?" There was a knock at the door and Carlisle's voice filled the library. "I thought you'd be up here. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied gruffly. "My perfect Thanksgiving is going great," I said as I sat up.

He had the nerve to laugh.

"What's so funny? This isn't funny," I groaned. "All I wanted to do was have a nice holiday dinner and they ruined it."

"Oh, Bella, you're so cute." Carlisle walked around the office with his hands behind his back. "This is nothing compared to the Christmas when Jasper decided to put a cherry bomb in the chocolate cake. It exploded on all of us, and I had icing in my hair for days. Or the Thanksgiving when Edward was a senior in high school and decided to smoke in the garage. He burned the whole left side of the house down."

"Really?"

"Yes, and then there was that New Year's Eve dinner that Esme and I hosted for the mayor. The boys were really young then and thought it would be funny to let a boxful of rats go in the house. The mayor's wife was screaming to the high heavens."

I couldn't believe some of the stories that Carlisle told, but Emmett, Jasper, and Edward were the kind of men who would pull some pranks like that.

"The point is that I haven't had a perfect holiday meal since I had children," Carlisle said, concluding his tale. "I was waiting for something like this to happen. Esme even wore her stain resistant dress just in case."

"Then why would you give this dinner to me if you knew it was going to be screwed up?"

"Because Esme insisted on it. She wanted you to feel like a real Cullen. A ruined holiday meal is the only way to properly be inducted." He sat next to me on the sofa. "My boys, Edward especially, aren't perfect, but above all else, they love their family."

I nodded and snorted a very unattractive laugh. "I don't know how you do it."

"Me either. I'm way too old for this, but I kind of enjoy my messed up dinners. They provide me with some sort of normalcy."

"So... does this make me official now?"

He offered his hand for me to shake. I grabbed it, glancing up at him warily.

"Welcome to the family."

* * *

**HOLY EXPLOSIVE THANKSGIVING BATMAN**

**NOT MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THAT ONE. AS YOU ALL KNOW, FAMILY DINNERS NEVER GO ON WITHOUT A PROBLEM AND THAT'S NO DIFFERENT FOR THE CULLENS. **

**THOSE NAUGHTY BOYS ARE ALWAYS RUINING THINGS. **

**ON ANOTHER NOTE, THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH TO ALL THOSE WHO VOTED. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. I WON TWO ALL HUMAN FANFICTION AWARDS. 1ST PLACE- FANFICTION YOU COULDN'T STOP READING. 2ND PLACE-BEST WRITTEN FANFICTION OF THE YEAR. I KNOW IT WAS ALL YOU GUYS SO THANK YOU. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT.**

**ALSO, THANK YOU TO MY WONDERFUL BETAS. ONCE OF WHICH WISHES NOT TO BE MENTIONED BUT THE OTHER IS JENYB0719. SHE'S SWESOME.  
**

**GO CHECK THE BLOG LATER ON THIS WEEKEND FOR MORE. **

**COME BACK ON TUESDAY FOR THE NEXT UPDATE. **


	29. Chapter 28

Apples, Diamonds, and Ink

EDWARD POV

"_Of all that is written, I love only what a person has written with his own blood__"-_Friedrich Nietzsche

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I reached over to Bella's side of the bed and ran my hand over her back. She was turned away from me and her breathing was such so that I knew she had been sleeping for a couple of hours.

It was cold over here by myself, but I couldn't blame her for being so far away. If I was her, I wouldn't be so buddy-buddy with me right now, either.

I had ruined her Thanksgiving, and I never meant to. I was really trying to be good, but things just didn't turn out too well. The perfect dinner she'd worked so hard for was destroyed.

Thanksgiving was two days ago and even though she said she wasn't mad, I could tell that Bella wasn't too pleased with me. She wasn't necessarily icy, but there was just a certain tone to her voice that told me I was in big trouble. I was still trying to make up for that horrible night because it was my fault, however directly or indirectly I was involved.

It was all Jasper's doing and I really should have been mad at him, but the secret had to come out sooner or later. Might as well be now.

I wasn't apologizing to Emmett. Technically, I guess Emmett did have a right to be mad at me because I had kept something kind of big from him, but what happened before he and Rosalie got together was fair game. He was too much of a pussy to make a move, and that wasn't my problem. I seized the opportunity like I always did. I wasn't apologizing for that. He could suck my dick for all I cared because there was no way in hell that I was going to entertain his kindergarten antics. He thought I owed him something. I'd given him an explanation; it was all he was getting from me.

When he started throwing punches, there was no way I was going to back down. No matter how mismatched we were, I wasn't one to give up on a fight.

I didn't even realize I had ruined everything until I was pulled off of Emmett and the evidence of our gladiator-style battle was all over the floor. I acted like such a dick and for the first time in my life, I think I felt remorse or regret or... whatever. I wasn't quite sure what the fuck I was feeling after that since I'd never experienced that particular emotion before.

I should have raced upstairs and begged Bella's forgiveness, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was too much of a pussy to say "I'm sorry" for something that I caused, even though I had said to her before. It made no sense, but my pride was too big for that shit. It was probably why Bella was being so distant with me.

We would talk and since she was off from school for another couple of days, we had all the time in the world together. But it was tense. I needed to make it up to her and show her that I was sorry, because I really was. I didn't blame her for being that way, though. I blamed Emmett for ruining it all. Currently, we weren't speaking. My older brother was being a douche. If he wanted to act that way, then I was going to treat him that way. End of story.

I continued to rub Bella's back as she slept, not moving closer until I was certain that she was asleep. Like the creep that I was, I stuck my nose in her hair and smelled the sweet scent of her shampoo.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

_There, that counted._

I scooted closer behind her so that our bodies were flush together and put my arm over her tiny body. That was the only way I could sleep nowadays. Like I had theorized, I was out like a light only five minutes later.

I woke up the next morning with a few thoughts going through my head and a plan of how to get myself back in good graces with Bella.

Over the duration of the night, she had turned around and was now snuggled under my chin with her head resting on my chest. As I woke up, I noticed that our breathing was identical. It didn't even feel like she was someone separate.

I untangled our limbs softly so that I didn't wake her and started my morning routine.

Living with Bella was more different than I could have imagined. I was starting to get used to it, but I was still slightly apprehensive. I had never had someone stay over at my house continuously for so long. It took a little while for us to stop stepping on each other's toes, but we were making it work. Bella wasn't messy, and I only had to do minimal cleaning. She seemed like she was making a conscious effort to keep my OCD in line and for that, I was thankful. Of course with Bella, my old tendencies were already dulled so now it was like I was kind of normal. Or more than I was, anyway.

I couldn't even begin to think about the mess I had to clean up after Thanksgiving. I basically kicked everyone out when Emmett wanted to throw more punches throughout the night and I was up the whole time, scrubbing the hell out of my floors. I was tempted to just have them all ripped out and replaced. All the new dishes were broken, the table had to be thrown away, and there were so many stains all on my suit that I burned it later that night. It was disgusting.

I spent my twenty-seven minutes in the shower and quickly got dressed into something more casual for the day. I chose a dark pair of suit pants and a white button up that I covered with a red sweater.

The end of November was weird because the fall season was just beginning to dissipate, although, we had already had a rough taste of winter. Today, especially, it was a warmer one than usual, and I didn't even need a heavy coat.

After I combed my hair to try and tame the beast, I went to wake up Bella.

"Bella." I shook her lightly. "It's time to get up."

She grumbled and rolled away from me.

"Come on, we have a long day planned." I shook her again.

"No, go away. I only have two more days off from school and I just want to sleep," she groaned.

"I can't let you sleep the day away." I climbed in bed and for some reason, licked her shoulder. "Wake up."

"Edward, please."

"I have a fun day planned. I promise you won't regret it. Dress warmly."

Bella let out a deep breath. "I'm going to need a big ass cup of coffee." She rolled over and looked up at me.

"Our first stop will be Starbucks." I kissed her, not even bothered by her slight morning breath. "Get up."

Bella heaved herself out of bed and muttered all the way to the bathroom. I left her to do her business and went downstairs to watch the news, which was, of course, nothing important.

There had been no updates as to who sent the poisonous flowers or what was going on with everyone in the crime world. We just kept living our lives as normal. My father had taught me a long time ago that you worry about that side of your life when it happens. You can't dwell on the negative if you're trying to live an ordinary life because it will eventually drive you insane. When someone made another threat, which they would, I was going to be waiting and this time, I was getting my answers.

I sat on the couch for about half an hour and Bella came down in dark jeans, a black leather military coat that looked incredibly sexy and black boots that came up to her knee. I didn't know where she had learned to dress so fashionably but lately, she had been pulling out all the stops, and I liked it.

"You might need a scarf," I commented as I looked her up and down.

"Why? It's not that cold out and you don't have one." She plopped down next to me and moved to my side.

"I don't have one because I'm a man and men don't get sick like women do."

"I don't even know what to say to that." Bella hit my chest. "You can be very chauvinistic sometimes."

"Not my problem." I shrugged. "I like myself, and it's other people who have to deal with me."

She laughed. "Is that some kind of personal motto?"

"Since I was a teenager," I answered.

"Don't ever change." She kissed the underside of my jaw. "If I went to a therapist, they would think that I was making you up."

"It's my charm, isn't it?"

"Where are we going, Edward?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I can't tell you. Just know that you're day has now been filled with plans." I lifted her off of the couch and grabbed my keys along with my wallet. We headed out of the door.

Bella kept asking me in the elevator where we were going, but I wouldn't tell her. First, before anything else, I took her to Starbucks because we both needed a pick-me-up. I got a large black coffee, and Bella ordered some kind of mess that was probably too sweet and too creamy. We walked back to the garage of my building and got into the BMW that I was driving this week.

Bella leaned back as I drove and sipped her coffee. "Why don't you just put a Starbucks in your building?"

"Maybe in the new complex."

"New complex? What's that?"

"Oh, I'm thinking about building a new set of condos near the Financial District, you know, near all the big firms and stuff."

"You never told me that."

"It's just been a thought in my mind so far. I'll start working on it after the holidays."

"Wow, I get to see you in action?" There was a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Despite what you think, I do actually have a legitimate life," I chuckled.

"So you say, but I've never even once heard you mention real estate."

"I make real money sometimes."

"We'll see. It should be fun to watch you at work."

"Whatever you say, Bella." I took her hand; she didn't pull away as I continued to drive.

She asked again where I was taking us when the buildings of the city began to transform into the land and hills of the country. The sun was out and what little leaves were left on the trees were deep reds or oranges. It was the perfect day for outdoor activities and probably the last one before the dead cold set in.

The drive took about an hour and when I started to see town signs of Chicago suburbs, I knew exactly where to go. I continued to drive and saw the two cars behind me, further back, in the rearview mirror. They were filled with bodyguards that never left us alone now. Bella didn't seem to mind anymore, but it wouldn't matter if she did. They weren't going anywhere.

I took the exit that I needed off of the highway and drove through the streets of a town called Bolingbrook. It was one of those perfect little suburbs with manicured yards, and it made me sick to think that I spent so much time here as a kid.

"What's all of this?" Bella had her face up against the glass of the car as she looked out of the window at the fall leaves and parade set up that was going on around us.

"It's their annual End of Fall Festival," I answered and drove slowly so that I didn't hit someone's fucking kid.

"Have you been here before?"

"Esme loves it out here. My parents had a house down the street for a long time when we were kids. We used to come to this festival every year. I haven't been since I was younger."

"Wow. It's really beautiful."

"I guess," I muttered under my breath. It was a little too cookie cutter for me, too different a pace from the city.

"What are we doing here? Are we going to the parade?"

"No, the parade's lame. I have something better in mind."

It only took us another couple of minutes to get to our destination, and I parked in the packed lot.

Bella got out of the car. "What's this?"

"It's an apple orchard," I replied as we walked towards the entrance. The orchard was massive with hundreds of acres, and it was all geared towards families. There were little kids running around, older teenagers trying to pelt each other with fallen fruit and couples, like Bella and I, who were just trying to have a peaceful day. I never thought I would be one of "those" guys, but I had some groveling to do.

There were tents with old wicker baskets under them and rows upon rows of apple trees.

"You pick a basket and then go through the acres. When you reach the end, you weigh them and see how much you have. You pay by the pound," I explained to her and picked up a basket.

"I could make a couple of pies." Bella grabbed it from me with an eagerness that I hadn't seen in a long time.

"Aren't you tired of cooking?"

"No. I told you it relaxes me."

We began walking through the rows of trees, and I kicked apples that had fallen on the ground. There wasn't much talking between us, but it wasn't uncomfortable like it had been lately. Bella was trying to find the perfect apples, but since it was late in the season, there weren't that many good selections.

"I've never done this before." She looked up towards the trees. "Charlie tried to take me to a pumpkin patch once when I was younger, but I didn't like it."

"Why? That sounds like a good fall activity."

"I'm scared of pumpkins."

I tried to hold back my laughter, but couldn't. "You're scared of pumpkins?" I repeated slowly.

"It's not funny. You know that Sleepy Hallow legend?" She asked, and I nodded. "Well, I read that when I was younger and probably shouldn't have, but the horseman had a pumpkin for a head. After that, I couldn't stand them." She reached for an apple that was too tall for her, so I got it and added it to the small pile that was accumulating in our bucket.

"That sounds like something that would happen to you."

"Even the cute jack-o-lanterns scare the hell out of me. I couldn't sleep for weeks after that. Besides, it's always too rainy in Washington to do anything like this. I would always slip and fall or something like that. It wasn't a pretty sight."

"I'm surprised all of these are still up. We did have a couple of days in the freezing rain last week."

"I'm glad you brought me here before it was too late. This is actually fun." We continued to stroll through the orchard as the sun warmed up, but there was a strong wind in the air so it stayed cool. I wanted to carry the basket for her, but she wouldn't relinquish her hold on the thing.

"The best apples are in the back. They've had the longest time to grow." I guided her through the thick brush.

"I need some big ones. They make the best pies and maybe I can learn how to make jelly or something like that."

"Aren't you the little homemaker?"

"I try." She gazed up at the larger apples that were barely hanging onto the limbs above us. "I want those." She pointed to a cluster near me.

"Okay, give me the bucket."

"Let me pick them?" she asked.

I knelt down and pointed to my shoulders. "Climb on."

"I'm too heavy. Isn't there a ladder around here?"

"Bella, you don't weigh more than a feather. Just get on."

"Fine, but if I break your neck, I don't want to hear it. I warned you."

I didn't even feel Bella settle on my shoulders until she tapped my head for me to lift back up. I stood up, and she began pulling apples from the trees.

"Did you use to do this when you were a kid?" she asked me.

"Every year. Carlisle would always make it a point to take the day off and we would drive up here for the day. This and holidays were the only times I saw the man until I joined the family business," I said with a hint of disdain in my voice.

"At least you're not bitter," she joked. "He's gotten better, though, over the years, right? He seems like a good father now."

"Seems that way. He's doing a good job with Alec. I can't really complain." I moved to the side so that Bella could pick more apples.

She was done after another couple of minutes, and I put her back on the ground with our basket was filled.

"I can't wait to taste your pie." I grabbed Bella and kissed her on the lips.

"You're dirty," she replied with her hands on my shoulders. "And no, you will not be tasting my pie for a while. I'm still mad at you."

"I said I was sorry." I moved my lips to her neck.

"No, you didn't."

_Well, I did last night, but you were asleep._

I was about to say it; I really was, but I felt something tugging on my pant leg.

"What the hell?" I looked down into the bright blue eyes of a little girl who was about five.

"Mister, can you lift me up so I can get an apple too?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"Uh... no. Go away," I said.

"Please, I can't reach them," she pouted.

"I said 'no'. Who are you anyway?" I felt my lip curl at the thought of being so close to a child. They bothered me.

"I want an apple, please."

"Go away. Run along." I shooed her off like a dog.

"Edward." Bella hit my shoulder and bent down to the girl. "Where are your parents?"

The little girl shrugged. "I don't know."

She had short blonde hair and a round face with big eyes that were kind of scary looking, but I guess she could be considered cute. She had on a pink dress and a white coat.

"What's your name?" Bella asked.

"Macy," the girl replied. "I want an apple."

"Is that all you think about?" I grumbled.

"Edward, shut up. We have to find her parents." Bella took the girl's hand.

"She's not our responsibility."

"I can't believe you." She began walking away, leaving me with the bucket of apples.

I rolled my eyes and picked them up, following her and this... kid.

I chased after them. "Bella, hold up. Just leave her here."

"No, and I can't believe you would even think that way."

"You know how I feel about children and her parents obviously didn't want her if they left their child alone in an orchard."

"We'll talk about your missing sensitivity chip later."

After another ten minute walk we started to hear the faint screaming of a certain mother who was looking for her Macy.

"Does that sound like your mom?" Bella asked Macy.

"I guess so." She shrugged.

"You're not much help, kid." I said.

"Edward, she's just a child. You can't treat her like an adult."

"Why not? She seems capable of taking care of herself."

"You're starting to scare me." Bella looked worried for my lack of child rearing techniques.

"Macy! Is that you?" I was suddenly pushed out of the way by a short woman who grabbed the girl up in her arms. "Oh my God, I was so worried. Where did you go?"

"I just wanted some apples, Mommy."

"Again with the apples," I said to myself. "We're in a fucking orchard."

Bella glared at me.

"Thank you so much." A man, whom I guessed was Macy's father, held his hand out for me.

"Uh-huh," I answered without shaking it, using the fact that I was carrying a basket of apples, as my excuse.

"She was fine," Bella told the mother.

The mother hugged her tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

They continued to talk for another couple of minutes until I all but pulled Bella away.

"Wasn't that girl so cute?" she asked as we started walking towards the checkout tent.

"No, she was not. She was annoying."

"So, what you're saying is that you never want kids? Ever?"

"No, I don't. And people always look at me funny when I say that. Some people just aren't made for children. What's wrong with that?"

"Well, nothing but when you want to leave a child out in an apple orchard, I think it needs to be discussed."

"Not my problem. I can't keep track of everything in this world and that's why she has parents."

"But… I just don't understand you. Esme and Carlisle love children. They give to orphanages, they've adopted two. Esme's always at the hospital with them…"

"True, but I can't see myself as a father. I think it would be better if I left the child raising to someone who would actually do a good job and cared."

"You would do a good job." She nudged my shoulder.

"Once, we had a dog, I might have been eight. But I tied a rubber band around its mouth and left it there for the whole day. I don't think someone like that needs to be raising children."

"Edward, I'm starting to think that you have a little issue with emotions," she giggled.

"How am I supposed to know what to do with a kid? They're messy and loud." I shuddered.

"I think you need to go back to therapy."

"I might need to after that ordeal." I set our basket on the scale.

After getting a ticket and paying for our apples, we put them in a bag, and I carried them to the car. Bella was going on and on about Macy and the apple pies that she was apparently famous for. I was just happy to be child-free for the time being.

"Where are we going now? You said my whole day would be full," Bella asked when I was back on the road.

"Another surprise. Don't worry, I've got the day planned."

I drove for a couple of minutes, still in the small town that was celebrating their festival, and Bella seemed to be hypnotized by the atmosphere of it all. She was rattling off a mile a minute about the leaves.

I found the small deli called Matt's and pulled into the parking lot.

"What's this?" she asked and got out of the car.

"The deli we used to come to when I was younger. It's famous around these parts for their chicken parmigiana. I thought we could have a picnic," I said, more like a question.

"You sure are jumping through hoops today." She raised an eyebrow when I held the door open for her.

"I know," I replied, hoping that I didn't have to say those two words again.

We went into the deli and an old man who had been here since I was five, came up to greet me with a very Italian, very enthusiastic kiss on the cheek and tight hug. He then noticed Bella and moved onto her with as much enthusiasm. He was speaking so fast that I barely caught any of it.

"What's he saying?" Bella whispered to me.

"He said that you're the most beautiful girl he's seen come in here since his wife."

"Isn't he so sweet?"

"All Italian men are flirts," I warned her. "You can't take him seriously."

"Are you saying I'm not beautiful?"

"Well... no... but... you know what I mean."

I pushed her towards the counter and we basically ordered everything because I told her how good it all was. Of course, Bella was one of those girls who would eat half a sandwich and be full, but I always made her eat more. She needed to gain some weight.

"Are we eating here?" she asked as we were waiting for our food.

"No, I thought we could have a picnic in a park near here," I suggested.

She smiled brightly. "That sounds nice, really nice."

"I told you I would take care of the day. You were worried."

"I wasn't worried, but I thought we were going to go shooting or something like that."

"We can if you want."

"No, no. I like your idea better." She hugged my middle as we continued to wait for our food.

We carried the four bags of sandwiches towards the car. I was determined to make her try them all, even if she complained.

I drove us to a small park that was on the outskirts of town and secluded away from the festival that was still raging with a carnival and a bunch of smaller activities. The park wasn't anything as massive as what we were used to in the city. It was basically just a patch of grass with some benches, but it was nice.

I grabbed a blanket out of the trunk and brought it with us so that we could find a spot. Bella chose to sit under a large tree that barely had any leaves on it, but she liked it and leaned against the trunk.

"So, what should I try first?" She clapped her hands together, and I spread out our massive feast.

"How about... the Caprese salad sandwich?" I picked it up and handed it to her.

"This looks good." She unwrapped the package and took a small bite at the same time.

"The best, even better than Esme's." I chomped on the chicken parmigiana, which I loved so much.

"Don't let her hear you say that."

"She would agree."

"So, before my Thanksgiving was destroyed, how did she really like the food? Did she say anything to you afterward?"

"No, she was too busy cursing me out for being so pigheaded," I sighed.

"I don't want to talk about that right now."

"Are you still mad at me?" I asked like a child.

"Yes, but I'm trying to get over it." Bella's shoulders slumped as she took another bite of her sandwich.

Even after seeing her body deflate, I still couldn't bring myself to say "I'm sorry". That made me completely weak, but I couldn't do it just yet and I _knew_ she was waiting to hear it.

We continued to eat in silence for a little while, switching sandwiches. After a while, Bella pulled out a book and started to read it quietly to herself. I watched her lips move around the words and noticed that her copy of _Wuthering Heights _was extremely worn. I must have watched her for half an hour without diverting my eyes.

"Stop looking at me." She breathed a laugh without lifting her head.

"I can't. Keep reading." I lay my head down, turning it so that I could see her. The wind was carrying a strong scent of fall and the grass was the perfect temperature.

"Do you want me to read out loud?"

"Sure." I closed my eyes, my stomach full and my mind tired.

I think I fell asleep, but I couldn't be sure. Even I my dreams, I could hear her sweet voice in my head as she told me the sorted story of Heathcliff and Catherine. I could feel her lay down next to me at some point, but she didn't stop reading.

When I opened my eyes again, the book was resting on Bella's chest, and she was sleeping peacefully, without a care in the world.

A small smile appeared on my lips and I sat up, stretching my tired limbs. I looked around and saw Benny sipping cider a few yards away on a bench, and a couple other bodyguards surrounding us, but they were all blending in easily.

"Bella, wake up." I bent down and kissed her neck.

"Why? I like it here." Her eyes fluttered open.

"We still have things to do." I checked my watch and noticed that it was just after two.

"But... I want to stay here."

"Get up. I promise you'll like what's next."

"Okay, fine." She sat up and cracked her neck.

We packed up our stuff and carried it back to the car before we were off again, back on the road towards the city.

Before we reached the city limits, I pulled over on the side of the highway.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked when I reached over her towards the glove compartment.

I pulled out a black cloth and held it up. "You need to put this on."

"No," she answered quickly, "are you going to kill me?"

"No, Bella," I laughed. "I just don't want to ruin the surprise, and I know you'll fight me on it."

"Just tell me where we're going."

"Put on the blindfold."

She looked at me skeptically for a second before taking it from me and wrapping it around her head. "If you kill me, I'll make sure Charlie gets you."

"You'll be dead."

"I'll come back, like in _The Lovely Bones._ Don't think I won't." She pointed at me with her eyes completely covered.

"Can you see?" I waved my hand in front of her face.

"No. What is this made out of? I can't even peak through it." She touched around blindly.

"Turkish silk. It's the only fabric that renders you completely blind because it's so tightly woven," I answered and got back on the road, trying to maneuver through thicker traffic as we approached the city.

"I don't know if I like this very much," Bella commented.

"Will you stop worrying? Things will be fine."

"If you say so." She leaned back in her seat.

I pulled up in front of my destination half an hour later and went around the back of the building to park.

"Stay right there. I'm going to get the door." I rushed out of my side and went around the car. I helped Bella out of the car, guiding her by her elbow, and then locked up.

"What is this? I'm so concerned for my safety right now." She stumbled onto the sidewalk.

"Stop squirming." I held her closer and knocked on the steel back door of the building.

"What's that? Is something happening?" Bella looked around instinctively.

"I should have left you in the car." I knocked again.

The door opened and a tall, model looking Italian man with black hair stuck his head out. "Mr. Cullen."

I shook his hand. "Hi, Pablo."

"Is this Bella?" he asked and looked at her expectantly.

"Yes," I told him.

"It's nice to meet you even though I can't see you," Bella pouted. "Who is he?" she asked me.

"Stop with the questions." I pushed her into the building, and Pablo took us up the stairs that lead to the main part of the store.

"Everything is set up as you requested, sir," Pablo said.

"Thank you and, of course, Carlisle will be back here sometime soon for Esme's birthday coming up."

"We look forward to it every year."

We went through a deserted store with all the lights off so it was hard to see, but Pablo bypassed it all and led us to the very back where a set of massive vaults were situated. He nimbly pushed a bunch of buttons and put in some codes.

"If you please." He ushered Bella and me into the vault.

I should have brought my sunglasses.

On the tables, laid on black velvet, were hundreds of diamonds that were flashing from the bright lights. There were watches, necklaces, pendants, bracelets; anything you could have imagined.

"Can I take this off now?" Bella shoved me.

I untied her blindfold and put it in my pocket. "Surprise." I held my hands out.

Bella stood there for a second and looked around with suspicious glances. "What's going on?"

"Welcome to Bvlgari, Ms. Swan." Pablo put on a singular black silk glove and went behind a table.

"Bvlgari as in diamonds?" She scowled at me.

"Obviously. Pick something."

"Are you kidding me? You can't buy me diamonds," she whispered harshly so that Pablo couldn't hear. "I don't want jewelry."

"Every woman wants jewelry."

"Maybe for their birthday or something like that, but..."

"Bella, I know that you would rather be in an antique book store or something like that, but I missed your birthday. You can't tell me that you don't like jewelry."

"I don't wear diamonds to class, Edward."

"Well then, maybe I'll take you someplace you can wear them."

"Are you trying to buy me off because..."

"No, Bella. Just accept a gift. Pick something. Anything." I held her shoulders. "Please."

She bit her bottom lip for a couple of seconds. It always looked painful when she did but also extremely sexy. "Can't I just get some flowers?"

"I give you flowers all the time. It's time to step it up." I grinned.

"I'm not comfortable with this."

"Why? Carlisle buys Esme stuff all the time. Emmett bought Rose a car last year just because she agreed to marry him one day, and I'm pretty sure Alice is going to be getting her own personal line of Prada. You seem to be the only one who's against nice things."

"I'm not against them, I just... don't have anything to give back to you, and so it's kind of one-sided."

"I don't recall ever asking you for anything."

"I can pick anything?" She was trying to fight a smile.

"Anything."

"Okay, I won't complain; but just so you know, I won't enjoy this."

"We'll see." I pulled her towards Pablo who was waiting patiently.

As much as she wanted to hate it, like I speculated, every woman enjoyed diamonds. Bella was eager to pick something that wasn't too expensive and was trying to fight her natural urge to get what she really wanted. I had Pablo put up anything that was under five thousand dollars so that she wouldn't be tempted to pick a pen or some shit like that.

Two hours later, we still hadn't found anything that she truly loved, but I was determined to keep looking.

"I can bring out the more vintage pieces," Pablo suggested.

"Please, I think we've exhausted all of these options," I said.

"Of course, sir." He bowed his head and scurried off to another vault.

"So... Bvlgari, huh?" Bella shuffled in her seat. "No Tiffany?"

"Tiffany is Irish, Bella. Shame on you. Plus, Carlisle owns a lot of stock in Bvlgari, so it only makes sense that we frequent this establishment."

"You are all crazy." She shook her head. "But thank you for this. It's a nice gesture, but if you're trying to buy me things instead of saying 'sorry', it won't work."

I decided not to dignify that statement with an answer.

"Don't worry about the money. Just pick something, or I'll pick for you."

"No, I have to make sure it's perfect."

Pablo brought out a couple more velvet boxes and opened them up.

"Okay, so here we have the collection known as the Ancients," he explained. "Most of this stuff is pre-1940's and we only bring them out for special clients."

"Wow." Bella leaned in and examined the diamonds.

Pablo picked up a nice bracelet and held it with his silk covered hand, displaying it to us. "This is the Seprenti and as you can see, it wraps around the wrist like a snake." He put it gently on Bella's arm.

It was made of brassy gold with diamonds all around it and looked extremely beautiful, but I knew it wasn't her style. If I guessed correctly, she was going to pick a necklace.

"It's gorgeous." Bella touched it lightly.

We sat there for a while longer, looking over the selections.

I saw Bella's eyes shift a couple of times to a piece in the corner of the velvet mat, but she would always avoid it.

"What's that?" I pointed it out because it seemed Bella wasn't going to.

"Ahhh." Pablo picked up the necklace. "This is the Cerchi pendent. Perfectly cut, eighteen karat, white gold with pave diamonds." He walked around so that he could fasten it behind Bella's neck. She moved her hair to the side, and he put the necklace on easily.

It was a classic and elegant piece that featured concentric diamond loops combined together in a dazzling brightness. It was long and hung perfectly around her slender neck.

"Do you like it?" I asked Bella as her eyes sparkled.

"No, no. It's too much," she said, trying to convince herself not to get it.

"Bella..." I warned her. "I'll get you five things if you don't pick _something_."

"Are you sure it's okay?" She bit her lip again. "I don't want to seem like some gold-digger."

"You're not. It's just a gift, and it looks beautiful."

"Okay, I want this one." She nodded to Pablo.

"Perfect," he rejoiced. "We have found a winner."

My total came to almost fifteen thousand dollars and I didn't even hesitate to swipe my card. Bella was about to have a stroke. She was saying crazy things like how she was going to pay me back and how she was going to make sure that she never wore the thing because she didn't want to lose it.

"And I promise that I'll take good care of it. I promise," she said quickly as we sat in the car. She was holding the receipt from the necklace so close to her chest that I thought she couldn't' breathe. Pablo was going to ship it to my house later in the week.

"Bella, calm down," I said as I drove off to dinner.

"No, this is a big deal. I can't believe that you paid that much money for this."

"I told you it was no problem."

"Yeah, but-"

I cut her off. "Bella, this is getting old. Stop talking."

"Fine. I won't say anything else." She leaned over and kissed my cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. That's a better reaction."

I drove us to Aqua. We easily got a table, even though it was the dinner rush on a Saturday.

We sat in our booth, and I ordered wine for myself while Bella got soda. Of course, we ordered everything on the menu and waited for it to arrive.

"So, there is something that I wanted to ask you." I took a sip of my wine.

"Okay, nothing bad, I hope."

"No, it's... fine." I took a deep breath, "So... every year, the police department holds a ball right before everyone leaves for the Christmas holidays, and Carlisle is being honored for sponsoring the new recruits from the academy this year."

She choked on her drink. "That's ironic."

"We always have a good laugh, but the point of the matter is that I would appreciate it if you accompanied me."

"I think you're sweating."

"I'm nervous."

"About what?"

"I'm not sure exactly," I replied truthfully. "I feel like I just asked you to prom."

"Well, I would love to go with you."

"Really? I know it's not the most exciting thing in the world, but it might be bearable with you there."

"Sounds like fun." She replied. "And I can wear my necklace."

I chuckled. "Yes, you can. This year, it's a masquerade-type thing."

"I bet Alice is going to love this."

"I would say so. It's right before you leave to go back home for the holidays..." I was cut off by the phone that vibrated on the table next to me.

We both looked at it. I had to stop my hand from twitching to get it. The thing had been ringing all day, like it always did, but I was ignoring it.

"You can get it, I don't mind." Bella took a sip of water.

"Yes, you do." I saw that the distraction upset her slightly.

"No, you have business, so I understand," she said. "Really, I understand." She put her hand on mine.

I sighed and picked up the phone, determined to make this a short conversation. "Hello," I snapped.

"_Hello, sir. Sammy, here."_

"What do you want Sam?" I whispered.

"_We have an issue in the casino that requires your immediate attention."_

"Can't you handle it?"

"_No, sir. We have a man who has sticky fingers, and I know how you like to deal with things of that nature."_

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Fine, I'll be there shortly," I growled and ended the call.

I lifted my head and remorsefully shrugged at Bella, who just nodded.

"I can have Benny sit with you." I waved him over, and he was at the table in an instant.

"Is it serious?" she asked.

"Not really, but I need to handle it."

"And you won't be back for a while," she guessed.

"Probably not, no." I got up from the table. "I'm... sorry." I kissed her quickly before leaving the restaurant.

I huffed and puffed angrily all the way to the car. It figured that I would be interrupted on one of the best days that I'd had in a long time. But as much as I hated it, I had business to attend to.

I jumped in the car and sped off to the casino, which wasn't far away, so I hoped that I could finish this up quickly and get back to Bella.

I screeched to a halt in front of the casino and took up about three parking spots, but I owned the fucking place so I could do that. I got out of the car and went inside where I was greeted by the happy hostess and took the elevator up to the casino floors.

Sam was waiting for me at the elevator doors when they opened. He was about thirty and had been my main man, as far as casino dealings went, since I opened the place. I trusted him, and that's what made this business venture work.

"What's the problem?" I asked gruffly.

"Good to see you too, boss." He patted my back. "The man at blackjack table number four. He's had a pretty good haul lately, and I'm not liking it."

"I'll check it out," I sighed and walked through the crowds of people on the floor.

When I reached table four, I bent down to act like I was tying my shoe, but the whole time, I was reading the dealer. He was lifting his card up too high, but I could tell that he wasn't in on whatever was going on. The man in question was older with shaggy brown hair and a fake beard. I saw from his jittery body position that he was up to something.

He was tapping his leg, and his eyes shifted to the left. I followed his gaze and saw him catch the eye of the man sitting at table five, right behind the dealer. That fucker was giving him the numbers.

I got up and went over to table four. "I'll deal the next hand." I moved the dealer out of the way.

"Certainly, sir." He waved his hands in front of him to show me that he wasn't holding any chips or cards and went over to the next table.

"How are you tonight?" I asked the cheating man sitting in front of me. "I see you've had a nice haul."

"Y-yes," he stuttered. He knew he was in trouble.

"Can I refill that drink for you? What was it?"

"Uh... coke," he answered.

I called a girl over and had her get another while I dealt him his cards.

"Where are you from?" I asked as we expertly played the game. He was now losing since I was going so fast that his friend couldn't call the numbers.

"Detroit. I'm here on business." His lip was quivering.

_Lie._

He probably had been scamming Chicago casinos for years.

"How do you like Chicago so far?"

"It's wonderful. Nice people," he said.

I continued to play with him just to watch the poor man squirm. We continued our affair for another five minutes before I got tired of him.

I nodded to Sam who was standing a couple feet away. He walked over to the man, and I saw the Taser as it slipped under his arm and gave him a shock.

The man from Detroit shook slightly and fell to the floor as Sam walked away. There was a rush of commotion.

"I need help." I got on the ground and pretended like I cared. "He's going into cardiac arrest."

"Oh, no, is he going to be alright?" some woman asked me with a concerned face.

"I think so. But he needs a doctor."

"We've got him, sir." Two big men came to lift the man up. His legs were still recovering from the shock so they dragged behind him.

I got off of the floor and followed them into the elevators, pressing the basement button.

"What... what's going on?" the man from Detroit asked.

"Just enjoy the ride," I replied.

We went down quickly and the doors opened to where Sam was waiting once again.

"I've got his friend. He was trying to skip out after cashing in his chips."

"Good, keep him for later." I snapped my fingers, and the two men threw the cheater on his knees in front of the table in the room. They put his arms on the table out in front of him.

"What's your name?" I asked and went to the corner of the room, retrieving my weapon.

"M-Mark," he stammered.

"What's your real name?" I came back over to him.

"Ma-Martin." He was sweating through his shirt now.

"Do you have kids, Martin?"

"One, a son in college."

"Does he know that his father is a cheater?" I pulled the portable buzz saw into the wall and handed it to Sam.

"I'm... I'm not a cheater."

"I saw you and your friend. Did you really think you could come into my casino and not get caught?"

"No, no. I wasn't; I swear."

"I noticed that you shuffled with your left hand." I lit a cigarette and inhaled. I bet this fucker was scared out of his mind. "Can you shuffle with your right?"

"No," he answered confusedly.

"I don't like sticky fingers." I placed my hands in front of me on the table. "You've stolen quite a lot of money tonight."

"I'll give it all back. I promise."

"I know you will."

I moved out of the way so that Sam could start his torture.

He ran the buzz saw over the pinky of Martin's left hand. There was a lot of screaming, and the sound of a crunch as the digit came off clean with a spout of blood. The men held Martin steady as Sam moved onto the next finger and severed it cleanly.

"Thank you for your business." I stubbed my cigarette out and left the three of them to have some more fun in the basement.

They wouldn't kill Martin, but he would never be able to use that hand the same way again. Two fingers was more than enough compensation, and if he ever stepping in my casino again, I was going to finish him. I usually didn't give warnings, but sometimes, I could make exceptions.

I rode the elevator up to the first floor and exited the building like nothing had even happened.

I called Jasper on my phone when I was in the car. "Hey, are you guys there yet?"

"_Yup, and Benny just drove up with Bella. We're waiting for you."_

"Okay, I'll be there in fifteen." I ended the call and drove towards my last destination for the night.

I went to the correct location and found everyone's cars in the parking lot. Bella was standing with Rose, talking, and Emmett was scowling when I pulled up. I guess he was still pissed at me. Not my problem.

I got out of the car and Bella came over to me. "What are we doing at a tattoo shop?" she asked.

"How was dinner?"

"Fine, I'm stuffed. Back to my question; what are we doing here?"

"What do you think?" I smirked and led her inside where everyone else already was.

"I don't want a tattoo," she said quickly.

"Then don't get one. But I'm getting one," I clarified.

"Come on, Bella. You can get something cute." Alice bounced up and down.

"No, she can sit with me. I'm not getting one either." Rose put her arm around Bella's shoulders. "Alice is too chicken, anyway."

"What are you getting?" Bella asked me.

I pulled out my wallet, got out the piece of paper that was in it, and then handed it to her.

"What does it mean? It's in Italian."

"I know. If you want to figure out what it means, then you'll have to look it up." I took the paper from her, and the manager of the store pushed us all into the back.

"Emmett." I nodded to him as I passed.

"Jackass." He shoved me out of the way.

I breathed heavily and closed my eyes to calm down, but didn't say anything.

I pulled my sweater over my head and handed it to Bella before unbuttoning my shirt and taking that off as well.

She watched me. "Where are you getting it?"

"Right here." I pointed over my heart and sat in the chair next to Jasper.

He took off his shirt. "I can't wait. This is going to be my third one."

"Do you all get them in the same place?" Alice asked.

"No, I'm getting mine on the side," Jasper answered.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Rose asked as she sat next to Emmett. "And what are you getting anyway?"

"Eh, the pain isn't that bad." He shrugged. "And I'm getting a cross."

"Typical." Alice rolled her eyes. "What about a flower or something pretty?"

"Alice, I'm not getting a flower on my body. I'll look fruity."

"But at least it will be nice to look at," Emmett teased him, his shirt sleeve rolled up so that his forearm was visible. The man was already working on his. I didn't want to know what it would be.

"I can't wait to see you scream in pain," Bella laughed and sat next to me.

"It's just a tickle."

"Yeah, if you get a heart or something, but this is a long ass scripture."

"It's not a scripture. It's an old quote." The man who was doing my tattoo leaned me back in the chair.

"Tell me what it says," she begged.

"Look it up," I repeated.

The technician wiped my chest clean with a rag and started to open up the inks with his gloved hands.

I watched Bella biting her lip as she watched him.

I winced in slight pain as the needle touched my skin for the first time, digging deeper with the beginning stroke. Bella snatched my hand into hers without even a second in between.

"I told you it was going to hurt," she muttered.

"It doesn't hurt. I just wasn't prepared."

"Sure." She held my hand tighter.

It took about an hour and surprisingly, with Bella there, I didn't even really feel anything.

My left pec was red and bruised with ink by the time he was done. I stood in front of the mirror to check out the new addition to my body.

Over my heart, in three perfect lines, was the quote that I had translated into Italian.

_Una delle cose più difficili nella vita è avere parole nel vostro cuore che non si può pronunciare_

* * *

**HOLY GROVELLING EDWARD BATMAN**

**HE WAS JUST SO SWEET, WASN'T HE? TO BE FAIR, HE HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO GET BACK ON BELLA'S GOOD GRACES AND I DON'T THINK HE'S DONE YET. SHE IS NOT TO BE STEAM ROLLED OVER. **

**THERE SHALL BE MORE TO COME, BUT AS OF NOW, ALL IS WELL. **

**MOVING ON, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT MY RAMBLINGS ON THE BLOG. I KNOW I DIDN'T POST ANY FOR LAST WEEK'S CHAPTERS BUT HERE IS HOW IT'S GOING TO GO. I'LL WAIT UNTIL THE WEEKEND TO POST A BIGGER RAMBLING POST INSTEAD OF TWO SEPARATE ONES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. ITS JUST EASIER THAT WAY AND WILL WORK BETTER FOR ME SO EXPECT A RAMBLINGS ON SATURDAY FOR BOTH THIS CHAPTER AND THE ONE ON FRIDAY. TEASERS WILL STILL BE THE NEXT DAY. **

**ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE PEOPLE ALWAYS ASKING ME WHERE THEY CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER-(AT)Johnnyboy1029**

**THANK YOU TO JENNYB0719 FOR HER AMAZING BETA SKILLS. GO CHECK OUT STORIES CAUSE THEY'RE AWESOME. COULDN'T MAKE THIS WORK WITHOUT HER.  
**

**THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. ADIOS. **


	30. Chapter 29

Indiscrezioni del Passato

BELLA POV

_"Politics, n: Poly "many" + tics "blood-sucking parasites"- Larry Hardiman_

_All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer. _

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I sat on the edge of Edward's desk and watched his long fingers gently pull the gun apart with mechanical ease. His pink tongue poked out of his mouth as he stared intensely at the smooth metal of the pistol, holding it in his hands like a baby or a precious gem. He pulled the cleaning supplies from his desk drawer and set all the pieces of the gun out on the table, spreading them so that he could see what he was working with.

"You know what? I want to work on the bigger one first." He tapped his chin and put the gun back together.

It was like I wasn't even here.

I loved watching him like this. He was in a mode of pure fascination that I only ever saw once, when he played the piano. Edward was the kind of guy who, once he got focused, nothing could derail him. It didn't matter if it was sex or his all time favorite hobby—guns. I wouldn't dare to even try to disrupt him, but he seemed to like showing me his work and how he could handle firearms.

I—being the teenage slut that I was—found the whole thing extremely erotic and sexual. Thus, here I sat, once again trying not to jump the hell out of my mobster boyfriend while he worked.

"I think this is going to be a good learning experience for you," he said almost giddily and got up from his chair, walking into the open gun vault behind him.

"Have you ever tried categorizing those?" I called to him from my spot on the desk. "I bet it's a mess in there."

"Nope. I've got it all up here." He came back out with a massive gun, tapping his temple with the barrel.

"Right, I forgot that you have some super freaky brain."

"I'm just very particular. I know where everything is and can get it when I need it." He sat back down and started to pull apart the new beast he was holding.

"What's that one?"

"It's a M107 Sniper Rifle," he replied proudly. "One of my favorites."

"Why on earth would you need a sniper rifle?"

"Because, it makes me completely badass and sometimes, killing is best done from afar."

"If I were a normal girl, I would be scared right now."

"If you were a normal girl..." He chuckled under his breath and got to work.

Once again, I felt my body fall into a state of hypnosis as I watched him pull apart the rifle with precise movements. The gun clicked and rattled as the parts came off.

"This is the scope." Edward held up a long tube-looking thing.

"I know what it is." I rolled my eyes. "Charlie likes to hunt."

"I would love to see what he's got."

"No, you wouldn't. The two of you with guns would not be fun."

"I could... go back with you for Christmas."

"Here we go again," I groaned. "I've already told you 'no'. How could you not see how dangerous that is?"

Christmas was two weeks away and on some level, I couldn't wait to go back home. I wanted to see Charlie badly. I hated to admit how much of a daddy's girl I was, but I couldn't help it. I missed him and phone calls weren't cutting it. That being said, it was going to be hard leaving Edward behind, especially on our first Christmas together. He was pushing to come with me, but everyone was telling him to just stay put.

I was trying to convince Edward to travel to the Bahamas with Carlisle, Esme, and Alec over the break. Everyone was separating to do their own thing and Esme said it was the first time in years that it's all panned out like this. Edward was going to be bored as hell by himself. He was leaning more towards going with his parents, but only if I was solid on my decision to not let him come with me back to Forks, which I was.

"Edward, just please try and have some fun over the holidays."

"Maybe I'll just sit here and clean my guns all day." He took a soft cloth and began wiping the gun down.

"Stop talking," I instructed, "just clean."

He grinned up at me and then licked his lips, knowing exactly what he was doing as he continued to wrap his fingers around the barrel of the rifle.

"Do you like watching me stroke... my gun?" he asked seductively, his hand gripping it stronger but still gently at the same time.

"No." I brushed his comment off and averted my eyes to the bookshelves.

"Really?" I felt him get up from his seat. He stood in front of me, pushing himself in between my legs. "I have a very large firearm."

I bit my lip hard when he pulled the golden Eagle out of his belt and held it in front of me.

"It has a nice weight on it, don't you think?"

"No. I don't like guns," I lied.

"Oh, Bella. I know you better than that." Edward ran the barrel of the pistol up my leg, and I shuddered slightly. "You shouldn't fight me," he whispered into my ear.

"I have a stronger willpower than you give me credit for." My voice was nothing more than a whisper.

"Really? You have yet to prove that fact." Edward's pistol was now on the inside of my thigh, right around my knee and slowly trailing higher, as if by a millimeter at a time.

"Edward, we have to go meet your parents for dinner soon." I tried to push him away, but he wasn't moving. He stood firm and the gun in his hand wasn't wavering.

"Have you ever fucked a gun, Bella?"

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing." He produced such a wicked smile that it looked cartoon-ish in its evil nature.

My eyes shut tight when the gun trailed higher up my leg. Even though I had jeans on, it was almost as if my skin was on fire.

"What are you doing?" I gripped Edward's shirt when the Eagle found that perfect spot between my legs. He applied a small amount of pressure, just enough for me to feel but not enough to be painful.

"I need you to relax, Bella. We wouldn't this gun to go off, would we?"

"Wait, what?" I tried to back up on the desk, but he wouldn't let me.

"Stay still," he ordered and bent his head down to kiss the skin of my neck while keeping a firm hold on the pistol in his hand.

The barrel found the Promised Land, right over the seam of my jeans in between my legs, and I let out the squeal of a schoolgirl. The sensation of metal against fabric, hard against soft, was enough to drive me insane. It was tantalizing and just enough to get me going. He was teasing me to the point of near madness.

My fingers dug holes into his shirt with the way the Eagle took one long road from the bottom to the top of my denim-covered slit; every part of me was begging for more.

"Edward, please," I pleaded.

He pushed harder, right on my clit, like he had x-ray vision and could see straight through my jeans. He was in the prefect position as he rubbed the steel of the gun against me with more pressure this time, and I felt myself reach the top of the peak.

"Are you there?" Edward asked gruffly, almost sounding as out of breath as me.

I could only nod. This was one of the quickest orgasms I had experienced in my short sex life. I was being spoiled.

I was slightly embarrassed when my hips started to roll on their own volition. I had no control of my lower half. The barrel of the Eagle was basically jabbing a hole in my pants. My breath grew harsher, my vision blurred, and my head spun as I was thrown over the mountain.

Even though I was sitting, my body collapsed and threatened to fall off of the desk, but Edward caught me.

"Holy hell," I panted and felt myself twitch as I rode out my orgasm.

"That was so fucking hot," Edward chuckled and pressed his lips into my hair.

"I... I feel like I'm about to melt." I straightened myself back up as much as I could and had to blink a couple of times to get my vision back.

"We're going to have to do that again." He sat in his chair with a huff and placed the Eagle on his desk.

"I like that gun the best."

"I bet you do." He smirked.

Just as quickly as our sexual excursion had begun, it was over. We were back to real life.

I turned my head to look at the clock on the wall and jumped off of the desk with wobbly legs. "We're late."

"I don't want to have dinner with them," Edward groaned.

"You don't have a choice. They invited us all for dinner so we have to go." I had dressed casually, but I felt like I needed to change since I had basically flooded my panties. Too bad we didn't have time.

"Alright, alright." Edward got up, pulling me out of the room with him.

Edward wrapped me in so many layers that I couldn't put my arms down. He wouldn't let me take them off because he said I was going to get sick. I didn't have the patience to fight about the fact that he had on a jacket that barely looked insulated, so I just let it go and waddled into the elevators. We went down for a couple of seconds before heading out into the deathly cold night.

The beginning of December had brought a rush of frozen air and snow that actually stuck this time. The trucks were out every morning, spraying salt. But as cold as it was, the wind crippled me to the core. It was shockingly cold, and so powerful and strong, I didn't know how people could go out in it.

Tonight, we took a car that was provided for us because Edward's cars were being worked on. Apparently, they could be faster. He was adding another cylinder or another engine to them all; I wasn't quite sure.

We arrived at the restaurant called Tuscany, which was Esme's favorite. Everyone from the family was inside and already seated when Edward and I arrived.

"Finally, I was waiting for years," Emmett groaned.

I went around the table for hugs, and then he lifted me off of the ground.

Things between Edward and him weren't any better than they were at Thanksgiving. Edward wasn't apologizing for anything, and Emmett couldn't get over the fact that he didn't know about the sex that happened years ago. He was also a little pissed at Rosalie, which I thought was a more viable candidate for his wrath, but he was taking it all out on Edward. They weren't talking at all, and it was getting childish.

I sat next to Alice, who was going off a mile a minute about something that I wasn't paying attention to. I was more focused on getting all of my jackets off. I probably looked ridiculous with my layers. I didn't have an explanation when Rose asked me what the hell I was doing.

Dinner went well, without any problems, and I was stuffed after the appetizers. Of course Edward made me eat more. It was a wonder that I hadn't gained fifty pounds since meeting him.

"So… are you ready for Friday?" Alice bounced in her seat.

"Why? What's Friday? Our last day of the semester, right?" I twirled some pasta on my fork.

She deflated a little while a disapproving look appeared on her face. "Bella, it's the police ball thing. You haven't been listening to a word I've said, have you?"

"No, I'm too busy eating, and I figured you'd repeat it all anyway."

She scowled at me with squinted eyes. "I don't even know why we're friends."

"Because Bella's awesome," Emmett said from across the table.

"Thank you. See, I have supporters." I nodded.

"In any case, I found you a couple dress options." She dug in her purse and pulled out some pictures.

I took them from her. "What are these?"

"Just pick one."

There were two pictures, each on had a different dress on it. The first one was black, strapless with a full skirt that went down to the floor. The second was a navy blue dress that was really short and extremely tight looking.

I examined them and picked easily. "Oh, well, I think the first one would be more appropriate."

"You're no fun," she pouted.

"This is a formal event, Alice." Edward looked over my shoulder. "She can't wear the second one. It's not appropriate."

"I could wear it," Rose said under her breath, "and it would look good on me."

I let that comment go. It wasn't meant to be rude or bitchy, but sometimes the way she said things came out wrong. Then again, Rose never hid her tone. She was acerbic and proud of it. She was a loyal friend, though, and I loved her for it.

"I like the first one better." I handed Alice her photos back.

"I'll get on it." She put them back in her bag, "Although, I would prefer more options. I'll get back to you." She said like this was a military mission.

It wasn't that I was necessarily dreading the banquet, but I was kind of nervous about it. How the hell did the Cullens stay cool in a room full of cops and get away with it year after year? The ball was on Friday—three days from now—and I was already sweating. What if I messed up? What if I said something that I wasn't supposed to? I was determined to just shut up and not say a word the whole night. That way, there wasn't any way I could let something slip.

Dinner ended an hour later, and Edward decided that he wanted ice cream. Who eats ice cream in freezing cold weather? It was just another one of his weird idiosyncrasies that made him… him.

We sat in his favorite ice cream place and he tried to convince me to eat the sundae with him. But my hands were frozen solid, so I declined.

"I think I'm going to the Bahamas with my parents." He took a bite of chocolate ice cream.

"That'll be nice," I sighed, wishing I could go with him.

"Yeah, you leave on Saturday and we leave on Sunday. I… wish you could come." He must have read my mind.

"I need to go see Charlie. I really miss him. Two weeks without you is going to be hard, though."

"We'll do fine." Edward leaned back, his stomach full from frozen treats. "I got you another present."

"I didn't get you anything yet." I tried to keep my face neutral.

"You're lying." He grinned. "What did you get me?"

"I'm not telling." I crossed my arms. "And I'm not lying."

"Yes, you are. I can tell. What did you get me?"

"I think it's time to go." I started to get up. "Are you ready?"

"I'll get it out of you."

True to his promise, Edward hounded me every day. He asked me when I woke up if I was ready to tell him yet, but my answer was always "no". He even tried to use sex as a way to cloud my judgment and ask—it almost worked.

In the blink of an eye, the semester ended, classes were finished, and I was packed to go back home.

Edward had given me specific instructions for the time we were apart. He wanted to send me home on one of the Cullen's private planes, but I got him down to a first class ticket that I explained to Charlie as a gift from Renee. She actually did send me a ticket to go home, but I just cashed it in. I used Edward's instead.

Benny was going with me, and wouldn't you know it? The house down the street from Charlie's suddenly became vacant. Not only was Benny coming, but four other bodyguards were going on the trip as well, with their instructions to always to stay out of sight and never approach.

Edward and I were going to talk every day, multiple times a day. I was going to miss the man like crazy. I hoped I lasted two weeks in the boring town of Forks, but I knew Charlie would keep me company. It was going to be tough, although I didn't want to say that out loud.

We both got more nervous as our plans for Christmas were prepared. Edward even went as far as to tell me I couldn't go. I calmed him down, but he was still insisting that he was coming with me. I didn't know if that was because he wanted to keep me safe or go after Mike. He was still grumbling about him whenever I mentioned my old "sex buddy", so I decided that it was best if I just kept Edward away from Forks. Nothing would end well if he came.

I realized that there was a certain level of danger with me going off by myself, but Esme had convinced me that I couldn't stop living my life. She and Carlisle had been through it all, so Edward and I were listening. They said that if we just lived as normally as possible, things would go smoother than if we checked around corners and stressed all the time. I was handling that advice better than Edward was. I thought his hair was going to permanently gray.

As much as Edward wanted to keep me locked up when he was at work or over the holidays, he was doing a pretty god job of backing away. I was thankful for that because I needed some space once and a while.

The days passed quickly and before we knew it, the day of the masquerade ball was here.

Alice and I were already out of school so guess who spent their entire day being poked, prodded, and primped? Me; that's who. She woke me up at six in the morning and tried out her many hairstyles. She wasn't sure which one she wanted yet, but I just let her work because I knew I would look beautiful.

Edward just rolled around in bed the entire morning while I got tortured starting at dawn.

"Will you sit still?" Alice pulled my hair to the right, very tightly.

"I am. You're using your super strength to snap my neck off," I groaned.

"Stop complaining. You'll look gorgeous."

"Ladies!" I heard Rosalie's voice sing from downstairs.

"Help me!" I shouted back.

"I'm almost done." Alice pulled harder. "Beauty is pain."

"Good Lord, what are you doing to her?" Rose came in the bathroom dressed in sweats and still looked beautiful. "We still have about six hours, Alice."

"I know, but I have to make sure she's flawless."

"What are you wearing?" I asked Rose when she hopped up on the marble bathroom countertop.

"Something… fabulous." She shrugged.

"I didn't pick it out so I'm scared." Alice shuddered.

"It's me and I was dressing myself fine before you came along."

"So… something backless, strapless, low-cut and mini?" I joked.

"Who else could pull it off?" she giggled.

"Only you." I gave her the answer I knew she wanted.

"Will you two shut up?" Alice snarled. "You're interrupting my creative genius. I can't work in these conditions."

I was about to say something smart back, but Edward shuffled into the bathroom with his shoulders hunched and a scowl on his face. He was in nothing more than his silk boxers. He grumbled about something, and I watched him in the mirror as he went to the toilet, shutting the door with a slam.

Alice, Rose and I sat there as we listened to the sound of water hitting water. It didn't bother me in the slightest, but we had company. I didn't really know what to do so I sat and twiddle my thumbs.

Edward flushed the toilet and made his way to the sink, the frown on his face still evident. He washed his hands in the meticulous way that he always did with extra soap and scalding water before drying them.

"That was disgusting," Rose chided. "I didn't need to hear you pee."

"Then get the fuck out of my bathroom." His lip twitched.

"I'm here to see Bella. Your early morning rituals are not on my priority list."

"Yeah, well, you're lucky I showered last night or your eyes might pop out or your head due to the sight of my monster cock."

"Edward, just go back to bed." I tried to break up this childish fight.

"She started it," he mumbled and shuffled back out of the bathroom like an old man.

"He isn't a morning person, is he?" Alice asked and pinned my hair up in some bird's nest design.

"He is with me. He just doesn't like you two." I shrugged. "And Alice, this hair is not going to work."

"I know, I know. I'm thinking about just letting it stay loose for the night." She sighed and shook her head. "Your hair is so healthy and long and shiny. Jesus, Bella."

"Well… thank you, I guess."

Rose crossed her arms and turned her head away from us.

"You have pretty hair too, Rosalie." I patted her knee.

She laughed. "Shut up."

The rest of the morning was spent with me pushing Alice and Rose out of the house because Edward wasn't in the mood to deal with them. He was in a bad way with the approaching date of our separation, which would be tomorrow. I tried not to think about it.

Alice and Rose left with the promise to be back when the time came.

I just spent the rest of the day with Edward. He tried to goad his Christmas gift out of me again, but I refused.

"But I want to know," he whined.

"No, you have to wait until tomorrow." I hit his shoulder as we sat on the couch.

"Well, I have to give you yours now so we can set it up."

"Set what up?"

"Stay here." He got off of the sofa and glided up the stairs.

I sat back and a feeling of confusion set over me. I didn't know what he was going to bring back down, but I had a feeling that it was going to be something expensive and extravagant. Edward didn't do simple.

He came back a couple of seconds later with a gift wrapped package that wasn't too big and looked like a book of some sorts, just bigger.

"What's this?" I asked when he set the gift in my lap.

"Open it." He shrugged.

"I'm scared," I said as I slowly began pulling the wrapping away from the present.

It was a white box, and I didn't really know what it was until I saw the Apple symbol.

"You didn't." I unwrapped the present faster.

"Of course I did. I remember you saying that yours was shit and this one has a webcam."

I didn't know what to say as I held the brand new laptop in my hands. I didn't even think Edward was listening when I was screaming at my computer to move faster.

"Thank you." I was still in shock. "This must have…"

"Don't ask me how much it cost. Just take it," he snickered.

"I wasn't planning on giving it back, but thank you." I basically jumped in his lap and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck.

"You're welcome." His chest vibrated with low laughter.

Then I suddenly remembered that I had no idea who to use this newfangled, contraption. I barely knew how to turn my old computer on. I was so unlucky when it came to technology.

"Uh… again, thank you for this, but I'm probably going to break it." I pulled back and looked over the computer again, trying to figure out if it was safe to open.

"That's why I gave it to you today. I'll teach you." He lifted me off his lap and set me next to him. "Let me see it."

I gave him the laptop, and he pulled it out of the box. It was white and looked sleek in its design. I had seen these on TV and of course, all the cool kids had one at school. I guess I was a cool kid now. That made me surprisingly giddy.

"You have to pay attention, Bella." Edward called my attention back. "I'm going to tech you all about iChat."

It took a couple of hours for me to even understand the concept of video phoning. I guess I was just an old person in a young body because Edward's explanations were making no sense. The mechanics of it all were easy, but he was saying all this additional stuff about what to do if this happened and something about extra apps, whatever those were. I just wanted to call him over the holidays. That was it.

We tried it out with his laptop upstairs, and I could see him. I didn't know how that happened, but it was pretty amazing. Edward had also bought me one of those wireless routers so that I wouldn't have a problem when I got to Charlie's house. I doubted if he had a connection out in the sticks of Forks.

Around five, our playtime was over and Alice blasted through the apartment with her hair in curlers, her body in a robe, and a massive suitcase that she was dragging behind her tiny body.

"Edward, I need help!" She yelled upstairs.

"No," he answered, "Leave me alone."

"He's not much of a day person either, is he?" She turned to me.

"Not really. We can carry this up ourselves." I tried to lift the suitcase up the stairs, but it was too heavy.

I gave up after five minutes. "Edward, we need help."

There was loud stomping down the stairs, and he came down in a half-assembled tux. He lifted the suitcase up easily, and we followed him up.

"What's in this thing?" Edward asked when he set it in the bathroom.

"Makeup and hair stuff." Alice pushed him out. "Leave us alone."

"That's my bathroom," he said.

"Yeah, yeah."

An hour later, my hair was done perfectly. It was swept over my left shoulder and pinned so that it wouldn't move. The big curls at the end made it look full. It was very old-world, which was the theme of this thing, I guess. My makeup was done subtly, and it looked like I didn't have anything on.

"Okay, don't move." Alice held up her hands dramatically and reached for the hairspray. "This bitch is going to stay put." She started flailing around with the can; my nose was instantly filled with toxins.

"Jesus…" I tried to stutter, but I didn't want to breathe.

"All done." She smiled.

I really did look stunning, but the amount of thick haze in the bathroom was making it hard to see anything.

"Now, go get your dress. It's in Edward's closet."

"Yes, ma'am." I got up, still in my sweats, and left the bathroom.

I could hear the TV going downstairs and Emmett's booming laugh, so I guessed that was where Edward was.

I went into the closet and saw that my dress was hanging up right in front me.

My mouth dropped to the floor as I ran my hand over the fabric. It was a beige color that was intricately inlaid with sparkling floral designs. The top was corseted and shone in the light. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline, and I prayed that I had enough I prayed my boobs were big enough to hold it up. It was fitted until the waist where it flowed down to the floor around my body.

"I can't wear this," I said to myself. It looked like a princess dress, and I was in no way a princess.

I pulled the gown off of the hanger and carefully stepped into it with the most grace that I could muster. I lifted it over my body so that it covered me up., and then I quickly shuffled to the mirror and looked at myself.

"Wow." I turned around and was pleasantly surprised that I didn't look completely horrible. The paleness of my skin was kind of off with the color of the dress, but it worked somehow. I zipped it up as far as I could.

Like she knew that I needed her help, Alice came into the closet. "I knew that would be a knockout." She jumped up and down.

"You look nice," I said as I appraised her. She was in an amazing black dress that was flowing behind her. Her hair was pinned up in small, baby doll curls. My self-esteem was slightly hit by seeing her, but I realized that I would never look as amazing as her or Rosalie.

"Can you zip me up?" I asked.

"I've got you." She turned me around and slowly raised the zipper on the dress. It sucked in my body and caused my spine to straighten out on its own.

"Stunning." Alice walked round me. "Now, shoes."

"Will I be able to walk tomorrow?"

"Yes," she answered immediately and handed me a nice pair of cream-colored pumps that were kind of high, but I would suffer.

I slipped them on and looked at myself in the mirror again.

"I could pass for acceptable." I nodded.

"More than acceptable. We look hot."

"And what about Queen Slut?"

"Rosalie's in her shortest dress yet, but somehow makes it look perfect for tonight. How, I'll never know."

"Figures."

"Alight, stay right there," Alice said and dashed out of the closet. She came back with the giant can of hairspray. A thick film of fog started to fill up the room, and I coughed my lungs up yet again.

I pushed her away when I couldn't take anymore. "Okay, okay."

"Let's go." Alice pulled me out of the closet and handed me the same clutch that Esme had bought me at Maggie's boutique.

I had to lift the bottom of my dress up so that I could see where I was stepping and didn't fall.

Downstairs, Rose was eating cookies in the kitchen while reading a magazine, and the boys were shouting at a basketball game on TV. I checked the clock on the wall. It was currently seven and this banquet thing started at eight, so I knew we would have to leave soon.

Alice cleared her throat so that everyone could look at us. They turned or lifted their heads.

"Hot stuff," Emmett catcalled.

Jasper didn't really get a chance to say anything because he got up from his seat and descended on Alice's lips. Rose gave me a head nod, and Edward kind of just sat there so I went to him.

"Do I look okay?" I asked.

"I find myself becoming somewhat repetitive with my words as of late." He sat back, his unbuttoned tuxedo jacket falling to the sides of his body. "There are only so many words in the dictionary, Bella."

"You could… say ravishing, lovely, stunning, entrancing, captivating."

"All of those." He grinned.

"You're such a romantic." I sat next to him and smoothed my dress out.

"You really do look incredible." He leaned towards me.

"You do too, and I like the tux; very James Bond." I fixed his bowtie that was starting to twist sideways. "What should I expect from tonight?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "A bunch of police officers making fools of themselves, trying to fall over my father. He donates about a million dollars every year to the department so they look past all of his questionable dealings. The politics of this city are despicable."

"Aren't you all lucky?"

"Not really. There are always those do-gooders who try and scam information out of us."

"I plan on not saying a thing tonight. I don't want to slip up."

"You'll do fine. Just laugh and act like you belong there. That's what we all do and by the end of the night, they're all too drunk to care. It's pathetic."

"Sounds like the night every girl dreams of."

"Just stay with me the whole time, please. I don't want you out of my sight, especially with this crowd."

"Should I be worried?"

"No, they wouldn't dare do anything with us in the building but just to be safe."

"Gotcha."

Edward held my hands in his and just looked at me for a long second. I didn't' know what he was doing, but I felt kind of scared. The way he was staring at me made my whole body blush for the first time in a while. He stayed that way for at least a full minute.

"What?" I asked when he wouldn't let my hands go.

"Nothing." He relinquished his hold on me and sat back.

I wouldn't have even noticed the bracelet on my wrist if I didn't feel the weight of it.

I looked down at the golden, diamond encrusted, serpent bracelet that we had looked at when Edward took me shopping last week. I was rather fond of this piece, but I liked my necklace more. I couldn't wear that tonight though. I wanted to save it. This band was golden and the head of the snake wrapped around my wrist a couple of times. The whole thing was sparkling with jewels and matched my dress perfectly.

"Uh… Edward, there seems to be something on my arm."

"Merry Christmas," he said, more like a question.

"Wow, thank you." I rolled the bracelet around my wrist, "It's beautiful."

"Just another Christmas gift."

I sighed, "You can't keep buying me things like this." I laughed under my breath. "People will think I'm you're whore."

His brow furrowed for a quick second, "Is that what you think you are to me?"

"Well…no, I didn't mean it like that."

"You think you're my whore," he said slowly.

"I'm sorry I said that." I mentally kicked myself, "I do like that you give me things, but all of your gifts are just so expensive."

"Carlisle buys Esme stuff." His spirit seemed to lift slightly.

"Yeah, because they're married."

"Oh, well, do you want me to take it back?"

"No." I held the bracelet to myself. "Thank you but no more."

"I would kiss you right now, but Alice would probably kill me for messing with your makeup."

"I sure would," Alice said from somewhere. I didn't know where.

"Can we go now?" Rose complained. "You're all boring me."

"Yes, Princess." Edward rolled his eyes and shoved off of the couch. He held a hand out for me, and I took it. "Here." He took off his tux jacket and put it over my shoulders.

"What are you going to wear?"

"It's just until we get to the hotel. It's freezing outside," he explained.

"Okay, mask time," Emmett said as we all reached the door.

"I don't have one," I told Edward.

"I've got it." He went into the hall closet and brought back a bejeweled red mask that only covered half of my face and was positioned on a long stick. It had a couple of golden feathers on the left side. It looked almost too old to be real.

"When did you get this?" I took it from him gingerly, not wanting to break it.

"It was Esme's. She bought it in Venice on her honeymoon."

"I can't use this."

"She gave us all one." Rose held up her green mask that had golden flecks all over it.

Edward's eyes were covered with a black mask that was very simple, but suited him perfectly. He almost looked like Zorro; just a super-hot, Italian version. Emmett and Jasper had similar versions while Alice went all out with a mask that resembled something from Mardi Gras.

"This is going to be fun." Jasper opened the door and we all got into the elevator, trying not to step on each other.

We made it down the garage and into waiting cars that sped into late night traffic.

"Just don't start a fight." I went through my purse for a mint as I sat next to Edward in the back of the car.

"I won't. I won't even drink."

"Yeah, right."

"I mean it. I've got to keep myself on all cylinders tonight."

"We'll see."

Getting downtown was a complete bitch since it was the height of the holiday season and everyone was out, but I was more than happy to sit in the warm car and watch the Christmas lights pass us by. It was all so ethereal; that was the only word I could use to describe it.

The car line in front of the Renaissance Blackstone Hotel was incredibly long, and Edward said that this ball was the hottest ticket in town for the year since everyone came to support the city's finest.

The driver dropped us off out front. Edward and I were the first couple to arrive and waited in the lobby for everyone else. I gave him back his jacket and fixed him up. About five minutes later, I saw Esme and Carlisle glide over towards us, looking just… angelic.

She was in a light purple dress that was similar to mine but perfect for her. Carlisle looked like any male model in the magazines although there was something about him that up him above the rest.

"Oh, Bella, look at you." Esme looked me up and down. "I want to hug you, but I won't so I don't snag anything."

"Thank you. You look amazing," I almost stuttered.

"It took a lot longer to get ready than it used to. I'll tell you that." As she brushed some hair out of her face, I noticed she had on white gloves that came up to her elbows.

"Are you nervous?" Carlisle asked me.

"Yes," I admitted.

"Just keep your cool and nod at whatever they say. They'll be eating out of the palm of your hands."

When everyone arrived, we spruced up some more, and then followed the line of perfectly dressed people across the marble lobby of the hotel. Our dress shoes clicked on the floor, and I held onto Edward so that I wouldn't fall.

The hotel was beautiful and old but still very modern at the same time. There were tall columns that shot up to the ceiling and massive chandeliers that hung overhead. If I thought the lobby was impressive, that was nothing compared to the ballroom, which blew me away.

The room must have been longer than a football field. That was a good thing since there were so many people packed in there. It was crowded without being suffocating. There were warm glows from candles on the tables along with a band playing on a stage. There were longer tables for small appetizers and flutes of champagne. There was a second floor that looked just as crowded.

Some people were dancing but most were just talking. There were strapping men dressed in police uniforms, some with metals, and everyone was in masks.

"This is like a grownup prom," I said to Edward.

He chuckled. "That's the idea of it."

The family separated to go off and do their thing, but I was going to stay with Edward.

We sat at the table in the front of the room that was reserved for the Cullens and kept to ourselves mostly. After about an hour, he was a little happy off of bourbon and coke but stopped before he got drunk. I was tired of holding my mask the whole night, so I set it down. Edward took the stick off of the side and pulled the strings out from the inside so that I could wear it without holding it. He said that if he had to wear one then so did I.

"Why are they all looking at you funny?" I asked him when another officer scowled at us.

"They've heard the stories or whatever." He shrugged.

"So much for wearing masks to hide your identity."

"Our name is on the table," he laughed. "Who cares? They won't talk to me. I scare them all."

I had noticed that. Emmett and Jasper acted like they were best friends with some of the people in the room. Of course Carlisle was the golden boy out of everyone, but people seemed to stay away from Edward. I guess he just gave off that vibe.

"Our good friend Jacob Black isn't here." I observed.

"He never comes to these things. He works because he's trying to raise his status over there after…some mess he caused." Edward had a hint of a smirk on his lips.

I didn't ask him to elaborate because I didn't want to know.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "Uh… no."

"Why not?"

"The last person I danced with ended up in the hospital overnight," I said as I recalled the memory.

"I don't believe you."

"It was at the graduation dance, and I told myself to just sit down. But when some guy asked, I couldn't say 'no' so I danced with him. I kept stepping on him, and we ended up spinning into some wires on the floor from some lights. He broke his ankle and got a concussion."

"You're a disaster." Edward got up and pulled my chair out. "Good thing I'm a master at dance."

"This will only end horribly." I got up, and he led us to the large wooden dance floor.

Edward wrapped an arm around my waist and held me close to his body. Even in my heels, he still towered over me. He placed my hand in his, and we started to sway to the music.

"See, this isn't so bad," he said.

"Not yet. I can feel the impending doom."

"You sound like me. I thought I was supposed to be the negative one."

"Yeah, well, this is not my favorite pastime."

At some point, I had forgotten that I was dancing. With Edward I didn't even realize it because he was so smooth and graceful, even with his long limbs. Nothing was awkward like it normally would be with me on the dance floor. I just held on tight.

But as usual, I had to mess up and bumped into someone who was dancing as well.

"Sorry," I said quickly and turned around. "I didn't mean to hit you."

"Oh, it's no problem," a sweet voice said and then looked above me. "Edward? Is that you? I could tell from that hair color any day."

"Uh… yeah." Edward lifted his mask.

"It's me, Joan." She lifted up her mask too. Her date went off to get something to drink.

"Oh, hi." He deflated. "It's nice to see you."

"You too." She almost pushed me out of the way and kissed him right on the lips, her red lipstick staining his mouth an odd shade of pink.

_Bitch!_

He pushed her off gently. "Joan, what are you doing?" he whispered.

"You said you would call me." She playfully hit his shoulder.

"That was months ago." Edward pulled me towards him. "This is Bella," he said quickly.

"I'm the girlfriend." I had a hint of a snarl in my tone.

"Oh, really? I'm so sorry. I didn't know," Joan replied frantically with a nervous laugh. "I've never known him to have girlfriends."

"It's a rather new development," Edward said.

"I really didn't know. I bet that looked really bad?" she asked me.

I just tightly smiled and turned away from her. "I'm going to go get some air," I told Edward.

"Where are you going?" His eyes begged me to stay.

"I want to give you some time with your old friend." I left him standing in the middle of the floor and stalked off towards the stairs of the ballroom so that I could go out onto the balcony.

It was cold outside, freezing actually, but it felt good. I wasn't going to stay out for long, but I needed something to clear my head.

It was always something with Edward and his haram of women. Of course I was pissed that some slut was kissing on my boyfriend. I couldn't do anything about Edward's past because that was before I even met him. He was entitled to have own life before me and there was nothing I could do about that. But it still pissed me off.

He was like the man whore of the city. What did that make me? The girl who fell for the man whore?

I stood on the balcony, breathing in the cold air. My arms were getting chilly, but I could handle it. There was snow on the ground below, and the moon was really high in the night sky.

There was a couple on the balcony along with me. They were laughing, and I could tell that they were both a little drunk. The woman was in a bright yellow dress and was pressed up against the man who was leaning on the stone railing.

I took off my mask easily so that I could breathe a little better and closed my eyes.

The couple decided that it was time to go back inside and as they were, the woman stopped and tapped my shoulder.

"I just wanted to say that your dress is really pretty. It makes you look divine," she giggled.

"Thank you," I replied. "Yours is nice too."

"You don't have to say that. I made it."

"Wow, that's impressive," I said truthfully.

The guy looked like he had turned into a statue and maybe it was the cold, but he suddenly seemed to want to go back inside. He was starting to pull away from us.

"Seth, isn't her dress pretty?" The woman dragged him back.

"Yeah," he said under his breath.

I almost immediately registered his voice.

"Seth?" I tried to peek under the mask that was covering half his face.

"Hey, Bella," he sighed.

"What the heck are you doing here?" I was really shocked that he was here. I didn't remember him saying anything, but then again, I hadn't really talked to him in about a week.

"I'm just… here," he answered cryptically. "It's time to go, sweetheart." He pulled the girl away from me.

"It was nice meeting you," she called.

"You too."

As they were going back inside of the banquet hall, Edward was rushing out. He and Seth bumped shoulders and from the look of it, it was pretty hard.

"Watch where you're going," Edward growled.

Seth's mouth ended up in a hard line and I could tell that he wanted to say something, but his eyes quickly shifted to mine. He hastily moved back inside.

"Bella, I didn't know she was going to be here tonight," Edward said as he came up to me. "I should have known. Her father is a police officer, but it just never occurred to me."

"Am I going to have to deal with this for the rest of my life?" I turned away from him, re-pissed at the encounter that happened inside.

"I told you that… there were a lot of them."

"How many, Edward? It seems that every time I turn around, some other girl is relaying the past and what good times you guys had."

"I know, but I can't help that."

I suddenly remembered Edward's hardened nature after I degraded myself to one of his whores. I guess with his past, those words meant something different than with someone else.

"Just… let me breathe for another couple of minutes. Please, just go." I shut my eyes.

"No, we need to talk about this."

"I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Are you sure? Aren't you cold out here?"

"No, I'm fine. Just leave me alone."

"I don't want to fight with you over Christmas."

"I'm fine, Edward," I repeated.

"No, you're not."

"I'm not mad," I lied.

Edward stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, his hands in his pockets, before he started backing away. "I'll be inside if you need me." I felt his warm coat over my shoulders.

"Okay," I said shortly.

Even though I heard his shoes clicking on the floor inside, I could feel him watching me from the door.

I didn't turn around and stayed on the balcony for the rest of the night.

* * *

**HOLY ENEMY BEHIND THE MASK BATMAN**

**THAT WAS INTERESTING HUH? I WON'T SAY MUCH BECAUSE WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT ON THE BLOG TOMORROW, BUT THERE WAS LOTS GOING ON HERE.**

**PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ME ABOUT THE TATTOO FROM LAST CHAPTER. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE LIKE BELLA AND LOOK IT UP. LOL. TYPE IT INTO GOOGLE TRANSLATE. THE WORDS COME OUT PERFECTLY.**

**AS ALWAYS, THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL BETA JENNY. **

**SINCE PEOPLE ARE STILL ASKING, MY TWITTER NAME IS (at)johnnyboy1029  
**

**UNTIL TUESDAY, LOVE YA!**


	31. Chapter 30

Paradise Lost

EDWARD POV

"_I spent four days and four nights just covered in blood, falling in the water.__"-__Rider Strong_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer. _  
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I sat in the plush chaise lounge of the private villa I had been imprisoned in. The waves were crashing against the shore, the sun was high in the sky, the sea breeze was flowing in the palm trees, and the rich were out in their yachts.

I hated the Bahamas.

I scowled back down at my copy of _Paradise Lost _by famed author John Milton. I had already read the last half of the epic poem entitled _Paradise Regained_. I know, strange that I read them backwards, but I understood them better that way. The series was grating on my last nerves, but it seemed fitting for my environment, so I pushed through.

I had already been in this hell hole for a full week, and I thought that the permanent sun was going to melt my skin off. In Chicago, we were blessed with the coverage of clouds and wonderful smog. I liked that. This place was torture.

When I got here, I suddenly remembered why I hated the beach so much. How on earth did someone put up with all the sand? It got everywhere and was impossible to get rid of. It was so grainy and obtrusive. No matter how much I tried to brush the shit off, it stuck to my skin and my clothes like tar. How was I supposed to enjoy myself when I was being attacked by miniature microbes? It was disgusting.

I would rather be drinking in my penthouse or spending my holidays at the shooting range, but I promised Bella that I would try and have a good time here in beach hell. After all, it was Christmas, and I guessed it was nice for a change of pace, although, I don't know how anyone ever lived like this. There was nothing to do here but sit.

"This is stupid," I muttered to myself and looked back down at my book.

Christmas had been six days ago, and now, I just wanted to get back to Chicago. I guessed I could have up and left anytime I wanted since we had brought the jet, but I wouldn't have anything better to do back home so I stayed out of a self-convinced need for relaxation. I came with my parents and Alec who were all taking full advantage of the small island and I really did try to join in on things, but they held no interest for me. Of course, I didn't want to ruin their holidays, so I never said anything to them. I would go on the boat rides and travel into town to shop, but my attitude was surly to say the least.

It must be something about the sand and surf. I wasn't normally this way, was I?

I figured that most of the problems I was internally dealing with came from missing a certain someone, but I tried to tell myself that that wasn't it.

Bella and I talked every day. Sometimes I would call her and others, she would call me, but we always talked. The webcam idea was a very good one, and I was so fucking glad that I had thought of it. I wouldn't admit it, but I didn't know how I would have survived if I couldn't see her face. On her end, things were going well. The bodyguards were keeping her safe and they called me every day with an update, but there hadn't been any issues.

Bella had a good Christmas and got the antique books that I had sent her, just another gift I thought of.

To my surprise, she had gotten me something that I found equally enjoyable.

She must've found my old record collection that I kept in my library. I was all for using my iPod, but some music just sounded better on a gramophone. Grandpa Rossini had given me his old one from the twenties, and his collection of records was impressively intact. Somehow, Bella had found three rare Elvis vinyl's that looked like they had never been touched. I was almost jumping around on Christmas morning because I had finally gotten a gift that I had never thought of getting for myself. I usually just said "thank you" to anything I received since I probably already had whatever I was receiving. Bella had cracked me. She had given me a new found appreciation for my records; it was part of the reason I wanted to get home.

But alas, I was sitting here on a comfy couch, reading an epic poem while my eyes darted over the porch in search of rouge sand dunes. I would sweep the wooden deck every morning when I woke up but by lunchtime, the sand was always back. It was relentless.

I felt someone next to me and looked up through my sunglasses at Alec who was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"You stayed in late," I sighed, noting the mid-day sun.

"I'm on vacation so I'm taking it for all it's worth." He sat next to me.

"There's only five more days," I said and to him; it might have sounded morose, but I found that statement slightly uplifting.

"Where're the parents?"

"I think they went on a deep sea fishing thing this morning."

"I haven't seen much of them since we've been here."

"Yeah, because they're fucking like rabbits. You can't hear them at night?" I closed my book and looked at him.

He shrugged. "No, once I'm out; I'm out. Alarm clocks don't even wake me up anymore."

"That's dangerous."

"It's not my fault," he replied innocently and leaned back.

We stayed quiet for a couple of minutes and I went back to my reading, but wasn't really paying attention to the words.

Next to me, Alec sighed heavily and stretched above his head and got up. "I think I'm going to go for a swim."

"Whatever." I didn't lift my gaze from my book.

He pulled off his shirt, and I saw him stretching some more, which was really annoying me.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Stop moving," I snapped.

"Oh, sorry." He lowered his head, but his eyes shifted towards the beach.

I looked out in the direction that Alec was focusing on, and that's when I saw the group of about four girls. They were all giggling and staring at him like he was some gift from the Gods. He was soaking it up for all it was worth. Sure, in the past few months, Alec had gained a considerable amount of weight and most of it was muscle, but I had never really paid any attention to how much like a normal teenage boy he looked. Until today.

I had to laugh while I was watching him peacock himself in front the girls who were playing out in the ocean.

"What?" He asked.

"You're embarrassing yourself."

"No, I'm not. I think they like me."

"Of course they like you. You have a dick," I said simply.

The girls looked to be about eighteen or nineteen and probably here for the break from college. Hell, they looked older than Bella did. If only they knew that they were lusting after a barely-there teenager.

I knew they weren't looking at me because I was hidden behind a palm tree that was conveniently blocking their view. My dear brother, Alec, couldn't get enough of this new found attention. I guessed that his libido would start to catch up with him soon. I bet he had started to take hot showers that were longer than necessary to perform certain self-defiling acts. It was inevitable. I was going to have to tell Carlisle so that Alec didn't go girl crazy like I did when I was his age. That got me in a lot of trouble.

"What should I do?" Alec sat back down but didn't rip his eyes from the females, who were now basically licking their chops. But there was one girl in particular who was blushing furiously under Alec's gaze. She had blonde hair, and that was the only feature I could really see from behind my tree. Alec was looking just as hard at her.

"How far do you want this to go?" I asked.

"I don't understand."

"I'm assuming that you're not ready to have sex."

His eyes went wide and his shook his head furiously. "No, no. I don't want to do that. I'm waiting…"

"For?"

"Marriage. Ma said it was best to wait."

I rolled my eyes behind my sunglasses. "That theory is archaic and completely irrational, but I'll debate that later. Just go talk to her."

"But what do I say?"

I groaned, wanting to get back to reading. "Don't pull her away from her friends. There's nothing worse than alienation in the female crowd. Ask them if they want to come in for a drink and then just happen to sit next to her." I spouted off some of my tactics.

"What if she doesn't go for it?"

"Then you leave her alone. Don't push."

"How the heck do you know all of this stuff?"

"Practice. Years of practice." I got up from my seat. "Don't bother me. I'm going to call Bella."

He let out a few calming breaths before he got up as well. I watched from the window as his feet shuffled through the sand towards the girls who were jumping for joy in their bikinis.

"Kids," I said and went through the villa, up the stairs towards my room.

All the windows were open and everything was done in rich, tropical woods that gave a calm comfort to the massive house. I think my parents had purchased this place, but I wasn't sure. I didn't care. I wouldn't be back.

I went into my room and shut the door before pulling my laptop out of my bag. I lay on the bed and waited for it to load while I finished up the page I was on in the book. The computer came to life a couple of seconds later, and I tapped on the keys until I pulled up the iChat feature. Bella's picture came appeared, and I checked the time here. It was one in the afternoon, which meant that it was eleven in Forks.

I called and the laptop rang while I waited.

Bella popped up with a smile on her face and waved. "Hi, Edward. I was just about to call you."

"We're pathetic," I chuckled and moved the computer so I could lie down further.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Trying to stay away from hormonal teenagers. Alec is downstairs parading himself in front of a group of girls without shame."

"With help from you no doubt." She raised an eyebrow.

"I just gave him the push. How's Forks?"

"Rainy and cold as hell. Charlie's been working a lot, some crime spree in Seattle, so I just sit here all day." She smiled sadly.

"What about your old friends?"

"Mike was the only one staying her for the break. Everyone else left to be adventurous."

I rung my hands together and clenched my jaw. "Mike, huh?"

"Yes, Mike. I've been trying to avoid him, so you don't have to worry." She rolled her eyes.

"Trying?"

"Yeah, well… he came over yesterday to hang out. We just had pizza and watched a movie."

"Sounds like a date." My lip twitched in annoyance.

"I explained that I had a boyfriend, and he didn't try anything."

I made a mental note to get a bodyguard to watch his house. There was no way Mike was leaving it without my knowing.

Bella reached out of view and pulled back a bowl into her lap as she sat on her modest bed.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Pineapple." She bit lusciously into a pale yellow piece of fruit that I was suddenly jealous of. "Since I can't be in paradise with you, I decided to fantasize that I'm there. I bet you have fresh fruit growing on the trees."

"Uh… I guess," I drawled, slightly mesmerized by the way Bella's lips were molding of the juicy chunk that she held in her hand. She seemed to be oblivious as to the effect she was having on me.

"What exactly do you do all day? It sounds like you haven't even explored."

"I went for a run this morning. That's about all I've done." My throat was dry.

"You haven't gone on the beach?"

"Sand, Bella," I answered.

She nodded and reached into the bowl for another piece of fruit, licking the falling juice from her fingers. "I think I want to go into town later so I can buy some groceries, but I can't stop reading the books you got me."

"Are you enjoying them?" I secretly moved my hand out of view and trailed it down my body, watching as the fruit she was chewing made her lips pucker and swell. I imagined those lips on my skin.

"What's going on over there?" Bella sat up closer to the camera, and I snatched my hand back.

_Later._

I promised myself that these damn pineapple images weren't going to go to waste.

We continued to talk for about another hour. I got slightly annoyed when the minutes passed and her new fascination with pineapples hadn't subdued. She ate them throughout our whole conversation, and I was sporting a rather impressive erection because of it. I got more and more irritated when I heard giggling laughter from downstairs. I bet Alec was soaking all that shit up like a prince, and I laughed at the thought of him getting his cherry popped by some beach bunny. That would be the best story out of all four of us boys.

When Bella and I hung up, I was suddenly bored. I laid back into my pillows and rubbed my face, trying to get some life back into my body. I guess the one good thing about this trip was that I slept easily. I didn't think I would without Bella, but without anything to do all day, my mind knew to relax and just shut down.

A wicked grin spread across my face as the image of luscious, Caribbean fruit flashed into my head.

I jumped off of the bed, pealing my clothes off, as I rushed towards the shower like a fucking school kid. I turned the water to scalding in the shower and climbed into the dark tiled area that had a spigot right above my head. It was one of those tropical showers that had water being pumped from the sea or something like that. I wasn't really sure, but it felt good.

Maybe it was my sexual frustration or the fact that I hadn't had any sort of release in over a week, but as soon as I stepped under the hot stream of water, my hand automatically made its way down toward my dick.

Bella and I had tried video sex but that didn't work out too well. She was very shy for some reason, and as endearing as that was, I was in dire need of a fuck. That was part of the reason I was agitated. I was a very unhappy boy when I didn't get my relief. The thought hadn't even occurred to me until just now, when I imagined Bella's tongue swirl around the pieces of pineapple like she had been not ten minutes ago.

_Did she realize how erotic she was? _

It wasn't just sexy. That was a term that just graced the top of Bella's being. She had pure, erotic, feral lust bubbling under the surface, and she didn't even notice. That was the best part. She could do something as simple as read, and I would be turned on. I had no control over the sexual side of my brain when she was around. Even when she wasn't—like on iChat—I was obsessed.

The hot water and suds from the soap made a slick surface against my cock as I made the first stroke from base to tip. My body shuddered as I imagined Bella's fingers, her hands, coated in pineapple juice. I closed my eyes and could even smell the sweetness from the liquid as it ran down her wrist.

Her tongue darted out as she tried to catch what was falling. Her nose scrunched, and her brow furrowed as she sought out the dribbles that chased their way down her supple skin.

Once she caught the straggling juices, Bella bit into another piece of pineapple that burst into her mouth.

My body jerked just thinking about it.

"Shit…" I hissed through my teeth as my hand gripped firmer.

Then the image in my mind changed. Instead of Bella sitting up, on her bed and eating, she was now lying down on the sheets back at my penthouse. Her body was clad in a deep blue, lacy bra and thong set that hugged her curves immaculately. Her long hair was splayed out over the pillows, and her face was deep in concentration as she bit, once more, into a piece of yellow pineapple.

_What the hell was wrong with me? _

The juices from this particularly titillating piece of fruit didn't shy away from running down her skin and she didn't try to catch them. I watched as sweet liquid ran over the expanse of Bella's creamy neck and the curve of her breasts.

Suddenly, my mouth was on her, tasting her. The natural sugars from the pineapple juice were on my tongue as it glided over her chest. Bella's back arched into me, pushing me further.

That was basically all it took. I didn't know how much time had passed or how long I had been in the shower, but I was brought back to reality when thick coats of stickiness shot out of my dick and over the walls of the shower.

I rested the hand I wasn't using, on the tiles above my head to steady myself as my breathing calmed down. Since I hadn't even thought about any form of release in over a week, I had a lot to give, which was evident by the cum trailing down the walls and into the drain.

I could only laugh at how pitiful I would look to an outsider. Here I was, a grown man, jacking off in my shower like a teenager. I realized that Alec and I obviously weren't that far apart in thought.

I stayed in the shower, this time washing, for twenty-seven minutes and got out after I was done. I wrapped a towel around my body and just pulled on some swim trunks, not even bothering with a shirt.

I ran my hands through my hair, trying to pull out the excess water in front of the mirror. I glanced at the tattoo that was settling over my left pec. The skin was getting better and only showed slight signs of redness. It would be healed by the time I got back to Chicago.

My stomach growled, and I decided to get some food for the day.

I lightly went downstairs, trying to dodge flying females, but there weren't any so it was safe. I went into the large, open living room and found Alec on the sofa with the blonde haired girl by his side. They were the only two in the house besides me, and I wondered how he had gotten the rest of them out.

He turned and stood up when he heard me come in. "Oh, Edward, this is Jane. Jane, this is my brother, Edward," he said to introduce us.

"It's nice to meet you," she replied sweetly and stumbled up.

From her body positioning and the way she was trying to hide her modest bikini covered body, I could tell that she was shy. Her pale, blonde hair fell over her face, but I could still see the strong features of her cheeks and the striking blue eyes that were almost alien-like in their beauty.

"Nice to meet you." I smiled tightly.

"You too." She looked away from me bashfully.

"Alec, can I speak with you for a second?" I walked into the kitchen and heard him following me.

"Isn't she amazing?" he asked eagerly.

"Calm down, Trigger." I went through the fridge for something to eat. "What do you know about her?"

"Uh… her dad's in business. She's here with her cousins. She's sixteen." He shrugged.

"You said her name was Jane?" I pulled out a frozen pizza from the freezer and started opening it.

"Yeah."

"Last name?"

"I don't know."

I put the pizza in the oven. "Do you like her?"

He gave me a goofy grin. "Yeah, she's really nice."

I decided not to give him the "watch who you hang out with" talk because we were only going to be here for four more days. He would never see her again after this, so it was unlikely that she needed to be patrolled. Carlisle would probably watch the girl, though, if she was going to be hanging around until we left.

"Okay." I nodded and pushed him out of the kitchen. "Be respectful."

It was almost a joke to hear me say that, but I was always a gentleman when it came to women. Of course, sex was always my end goal, but things had changed over the past couple of months. Obviously. I wasn't the same man I was before meeting Bella and didn't feel like thinking about what that meant.

I went back upstairs to get my book and brought it back down while I waited for my pizza to be done. The whole time, Alec and Jane had a fun time playing a simple game of Monopoly. It was sickening.

The rest of the day was easy going, as it always was in paradise, and my parents came back with bags of gifts that they had bought duty-free from town. Esme was going off about some shop that sold cheesy shirts, and she gave me a couple for Bella.

We did a whole bunch of family stuff that I actually put a smile on for, because it would have been worse if Esme started bugging me about not having fun. I would rather suffer now than have to hear her grumble all the way back to Chicago.

The next morning, I woke up and groaned about the fact that it was another New Year's Eve. Usually, I wouldn't really care about the passing of another year, but even I had to admit that I had changed lately. I was still a callous, cold son of a bitch who had a list of flaws up to my eyeballs, but I had… diluted some. Was that the right word? Whatever it was, I wasn't dreading this New Year. Something about it told me that it would be different.

I took a shower, imagining Bella's lips over more pineapples, and then got dressed in swim trunks again. I didn't do anything else so why bother with fashion?

I went downstairs to breakfast where Esme was humming to herself in the kitchen, Carlisle was drinking a very strong cup of island coffee, and Alec was shoving eggs by the pound into his mouth.

"Hello, my sweet boy." Esme actually twirled towards me when I sat down.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked Alec.

"I heard them last night." He shuddered.

It all clicked in my head, and I just gave a knowing nod. I had no desire to see my parents fucking in my head.

"I want to try surfing today," Carlisle said suddenly, putting down his paper. "I've always wanted to do it, and I think now is the perfect time."

"Surfing," I replied, more like a question.

"That's right," he said finally. "Let's do it."

"I want to go." Alec swallowed a mouthful of food and had enough fervor in his movements to tell me he was more than ready to surf.

"What about you?" My father turned to me.

"No," I answered immediately.

"Go have fun, Edward," Esme sighed. "Go surf or parasailing. Do _something_."

"I have my books to read and I want to go for a run."

"No, I don't like that plan." Carlisle got up and patted my shoulder. "You're coming with us." He ran upstairs to change.

"Well, I guess that's that." I took a bite of toast.

"It'll be fun. Maybe I can finally beat you at something," Alec snickered.

"Yeah, right."

An hour later, we had made the reservations to have private surfing lessons, and Carlisle was more excited than I had seen him with in years. It was almost as if he was a teenager again. All three of us went down to the beach and met an eager surfing instructor named Kyle who was tanned to the point of crispy and spoke with a California accent that was getting on my nerves. I listened to his instructions for over an hour and soaked up everything he had to say, even if his twang was worse than nails on a chalkboard.

"You have to understand that most of your strength isn't spent standing up or balancing, but paddling out there to catch the perfect wave," Kyle explained as we all sat in the sand near the ocean. I tried not to think about how much sand I was getting on my body.

"What's the best way to paddle?" Alec asked.

"Dude, it's easy." Kyle got on his stomach and demonstrated. "Just keep your arms up and move them steadily. People get tripped up when they stop moving their arms. Let's hope you have enough upper-body strength," he laughed and nodded at me.

I just scowled and didn't bring up the fact that I could probably choke a bear with my forearms.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," he said in confusion and sat back up. _"_Any other questions?"

Carlisle shook his head and got on his feet, brushing the sand off of his trunks. "Let's go."

"Alright, dude. That's the attitude I want to hear." Kyle smiled and then raised an eyebrow at me. I raised an eyebrow back, testing him. He didn't say anything else.

"This should be fun." Alec got up as well. He looked back towards the beach and waved vigorously. I turned my head and saw Jane sitting in the sand on a pink towel. She waved back just as happily.

"Stop it." I pulled his hand back down. "What is wrong with you?"

"What? I was saying 'hi'."

"You look like a desperate teenager."

He started to laugh. "I am a desperate teenager."

I sometimes forgot that.

"Whatever."

I grabbed the long, plain blue surfboard that was provided for me and fastened the Velcro loop around my ankle.

We were on one of the more adventurous parts of the beach that had larger waves and impressive acrobatic surfers who liked to show off. I watched them, memorizing their movements and actions. The physics of it all looked simple enough, but I knew it was going to be harder than that.

"Come on." Carlisle pushed me closer to the water. Alec was already in, more than willing to drown in the ocean.

All four of us paddled out into the surf, and we slithered over the rolling waves, further out towards the flat line of the horizon. It took a lot of muscle work, but we made it a good distance out before we stopped.

"Okay, so now we wait." Kyle propped himself up on his board and faced the beach.

"Is this supposed to be fun?" I asked rather rudely.

"Not yet. This is the technical work. You get the thrill from riding in the waves." His eyes glazed over.

"Aren't we supposed to be moving somewhere?" Alec looked around.

"Dude, just shut up," Kyle snapped.

"Dude, don't talk to him like that," I spat, mocking him.

"Alright, let's just calm down." Carlisle held up his hands, always the moderator.

"Piece of shit." I shifted on my board and stared daggers at Kyle's back.

We sat silently for a while and some big waves passed under us, but according to the "Almighty Kyle", they weren't what we wanted. After a couple of minutes, I debated on whether or not to just go myself. I might wipe out, but I would be doing more than this fucker. I still tried to pay attention though since he was an "expert".

"I think we have a winner." Kyle looked behind him.

I did the same and saw the dark blue wave that was starting off small a ways back, but I knew that by the time it reached us, it would be gigantic.

"Okay, so what makes this hard is that you have a very small window from getting off your stomach and on your feet." Kyle laid flat on his board. "You've got to be quick or you won't ever get up."

We followed his lead and as the wave came to a rushing crescendo, the boards started to move forward with ease. We glided faster and faster without even paddling. When Kyle popped up on his board, we all tried the same.

I did pretty well for my first time; I got up and stayed up for about four seconds before I came crashing down, but that was a hell of a lot better than I thought I would do. Kyle, of course, floated to the shore easily after a couple of impressive turns and dips. Carlisle did about as well as I did, which was surprising. Alec was just horrible. I knew he was trying to impress Jane on the beach, but he must have not been paying attention. The wave passed over him, and he didn't even get a chance to stand before he was swallowed up.

It took us about five more tries before everyone was able to get up on their boards. We couldn't stand up for very long, but we were all making progress.

"This time, I think I've got it." Carlisle paddled out past the wave breaking point.

I was out of breath—well, we all were—and sat up on my board. "There has got to be a better way of doing this."

"I'm with you. How can people actually surf every day?" Alec was exhausted.

"Maybe you need to start going to the gym with Emmett," I observed.

"What about you, old man?"

"Shut up." I looked behind me at the wave that was starting to form.

We all prepared ourselves, and I was determined to make this time count.

Like I did countless other times, I lay on the board and waited for the wave to carry me upwards. When I was just at the crest, I started moving my arms and popped up on my board as I coasted. I was slightly happy that I was up longer than I had been on the previous tries and when I saw that I was keeping up with Kyle, my inner ego meter shot up.

Carlisle fell off, Alec plummeted into the water, and I was holding strong as I neared the shore. I balanced myself as best I could and made sure to keep my body hunched as I went faster and faster.

Everything happened so quickly that I didn't have time to prepare myself. The wave I was riding tackled me from underneath. I couldn't catch up with it so I went tumbling into the water. I twisted and turned under the crashing floods that were pouring on top of me. I kept my eyes closed and nearly threw up as I continued to spiral with the motion of the sea.

I felt something hard—like steel—and sharp slash into my right leg, vertically up my shin. The pain shot through my entire body. From my head to my toes, I felt a numbing sensation as I was thrown around like a ragdoll. I realized that I needed air and thankfully, I was now in shallow enough water to stick my head out.

I let out a string of curse words as my head broke the surface, and salt water stung my leg as it seeped inside.

"Shit on a fucking stick," I growled and kicked with my uninjured limb towards the beach. I made it about a minute later where Kyle was waiting with a smug smile.

"Dude, what the hell took you so long?"

"Shut the fuck up. What the hell did you do to me?" I lay in the sand and tried not to think about the agony of my situation.

Kyle sobered up quickly. "Oh, shit. Dude, you must have got the coral."

"Why are we surfing near coral? What the fuck is wrong with you?" I shouted.

"What happened?" Carlisle ran up onto the beach. "Edward, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not fucking okay," I said through my teeth.

"I'm calling the coast guard. He'll be here in a second." Kyle started panicking. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Get the hell away from me." I breathed through my nose. I was about to kill this man.

"Does it hurt?" Alec asked.

"What do you think?"

To be honest, it didn't really hurt, but I knew that it was because I wasn't normal. Any other person would be passed out from the pain. I just felt an uncomfortable throbbing. I had done some damage to my leg so I made it look like it did. I felt the blood trickle down my leg, and I was more worried about sand getting into my wound than anything else.

"This is not how I wanted to spend my day," I muttered to myself.

"What's the problem here?" a man's voice asked from a few yards away as he ran closer.

"One of my surfers got caught on the reefs," Kyle said.

"Wow, pretty nasty cut there," the coast guard observed.

"No shit, Sherlock," I snarled.

"Edward, stop with the language." Carlisle kicked me.

"Can someone just fucking bandage this up or something?"

"We need to get you back to your place. It's not deep enough for a hospital visit, and I can fix you up there."

"Great." I sat up, and Alec helped me stand. I tried putting pressure on my injured leg, but it was causing me some problems, so I stayed off of it. I hobbled towards a golf cart that the coast guard arrived on and sulked all the way back to the villa.

I made a mental note to kick Kyle's ass when I got fixed up.

Alec tried to help me inside but, of course, I acted like I didn't need him and stumbled onto the porch myself.

"Oh, my God. What did you do?" Esme pushed her way towards me when I fell on the couch.

"Nothing," I answered and felt a warm rag on my leg as the coast guard started to wipe the wound.

"Nothing? Were you in an accident?" She was getting annoyingly worried.

"No, surfing occupational hazard," the coast guard said. "This isn't that bad. I'll have him fixed up in a jiff."

I felt a tingle as some foul smelling goop was poured onto my cut. It stung like a bitch, but minus my minute curses, I didn't say anything.

"I think I've got it from here," I growled and snatched some gauze out of the man's hand.

"I'm well qualified to help," he retorted.

"Get out!" I shouted.

He grumbled and huffed back to the beach.

"Great New Year's Eve." I wrapped my leg up professionally.

"You're getting to be like Bella," Alec chuckled and Carlisle joined in.

"Stop laughing at my boy." Esme hugged me.

"Ma, I'm fine," I sighed, calming down as the pain subdued.

"Well, good thing I brought the pain pills. I knew someone was going to need them." She got up from the sofa and dashed towards the stairs. She was only gone for a couple of seconds before she was back with a bottle of prescription tablets.

"I don't want those." I pushed them away from me.

"Stop it. These are very strong so be careful." She basically shoved a tablet down my throat. I swallowed it unwillingly.

"Happy?" I leaned against the sofa.

"Good. Now stay there all day. We can't have you hurting that leg further." She kissed my head and then skipped off.

"Sucks for you." Alec ruffled my hair and then ran out of the door, no doubt on his way to fawn over Jane some more.

"You always find the trouble." My father spoke calmly.

"Trouble loves me." I rolled my eyes.

"I won't argue with that." He got up from his seat and followed Esme.

I got bored after fifteen minutes with nothing to read, so I hobbled upstairs to my room. It took a hell of a lot longer than it should have. That pissed me off.

I plopped on my bed and reached for my computer instinctively. It powered up and two missed called symbols flashed in front of me. One was from Jasper and the other was from Bella. I decided that Bella was more important.

It dialed, and I waited.

"Hi, stranger." Bella came rushing in front of the computer.

I internally groaned because today, she was in a towel. Her hair was wet, and her skin was kissed with small water droplets.

"Bella…" I warned through my teeth.

"What?" She asked innocently, and that made her ever sexier.

"Put on some clothes."

She looked down and blushed. "Oh, I just had a shower. Sorry." She got up, and I heard shuffling off camera. She came back a couple of minutes later in pajamas.

"That's better."

"How was your day? What did you do?"

"Got attacked by demon coral." I told her the story of my eventful afternoon, and she shook her head in a scolding manner. Bella said that I wasn't paying attention to the instructor, and that's why I got hurt. If she knew Kyle, she would realize that it was hard to focus on him.

"I can't believe you. You could have hit your head."

"I'm fine. Esme shoved some pills down my throat." I shrugged.

She smiled sadly and nodded. "I miss you."

"I… miss you too," I kind of whispered.

"Are you ashamed of me?" Bella grinned.

"No. Someone might be listening," I joked.

"Bye, Edward." She was laughing like I was the funniest fucker in the world, and that put a smile on my face.

"Bye."

I hung up with her and looked around the room for something to do. I remembered that I had to make my monthly phone call to my police information. Where better to call from than out of the country?

I picked up my cell phone and calculated the long distance bill in my head, but then decided that it didn't matter. I called and waited for him to pick up his pre-paid phone.

"_Hey, Boss. Can't talk long because you know they're listening." _

"I just wanted to see if you have anything."

"_Actually, yes. A couple days ago, we were going through Aro's bank statements and something didn't add up. There was only about fifty dollars that was missing from what he recorded, but any little thing with them is a big deal so we looked into it." _

"And…"

"_And that fifty dollars was paid in full to a flower shop up in West Virginia. They're only one of a few places in the country that grow fresh monkshood." _

"That son of a bitch," I seethed.

"_Yup, they were delivered that Sunday morning and we can't find the driver, but we're going to be questioning him when we do." _

"So go arrest Aro's ass. What's wrong with you?"

He laughed over the phone. "_You know that's not how it works. We pile on everything we can before we go in for the kill. By the time we're done with him, he'll have somewhere around five hundred claims against him, from parking tickets to assault charges. The problem is: he'll just get off because of tampered evidence, missing witnesses, or procedural issues." _

"This is getting to be ridiculous. Just kill him. He's a danger to our community."

"_You're funny today. Don't you find it ironic that you're advocating better policing when you're the one who's in the thick of it all? You know Carlisle is ten times worse than Aro is." _

"Shut up. The next time I call, I want some more information and I'll handle it from there since you punks are obviously scared."

"_I don't think that's such a good idea, Boss." _

"I'm getting off now. Destroy the phone…" I almost slipped up, but I caught myself. We never used names, and maybe it was the medication I was on, but I almost completely screwed up and said his name. There was no doubt the police were listening. With a pre-paid phone and a voice cloaking system on my phone, they would never know who I was calling unless we messed up, like I almost just did.

The call was ended quickly, and I looked around the room for some reason, trying to make sure I wasn't being watched. When my paranoia had been calmed, the ache from my leg started to become more apparent.

I trudged back downstairs. There was no one around, so I guessed they were all out. On the counter in the kitchen were the pills that Esme had left and I popped two of them. I was immediately hit with a wave of drowsiness and opted for a nap on the couch.

I couldn't really feel anything, and I was in this weird dream state for a very long time, but it was hard to tell if it was reality or not. All I know is that I dreamed of the ocean. I would look up what that meant later.

By the time I opened my eyes again, it was dark outside. The sun was completely gone and the house was shrouded in darkness to the point that I couldn't see the ceiling above me.

My head was pounding, and I sat up slowly so I didn't get sick from the change of direction. There was a throbbing in my lower leg, and it took me a while to remember why it was acting that way. My mouth tasted like shit and was fuzzy from my long nap. I bet I looked like hell.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to smooth it out and then pushed myself up from the sofa. I limped into the kitchen and turned on the lights. The clock said eleven-thirty, and I cursed myself for almost sleeping the New Year away. I was pissed that I wasn't going to get my kiss, but I would sure as hell make up for it when I got back to Chicago.

There was a note on the counter and I reached over to read it.

_Edward, _

_We just went down to the cabana for a luau. You can join us if you want, but Ma said to let you sleep. You were knocked out and I got pictures for blackmail. We're probably going to watch the fireworks on the beach at midnight so if you're up, come and find us. _

_Alec_

I rubbed my forehead and sought out my bottle of pills. I took two more and then threw the bottle away. If they were around, I knew I would keep taking them until they were gone. I didn't need the temptation. The pain in my leg subsided, and I let out a deep breath. I looked down and saw that the area around my cut was brutally bruised and swollen.

"Great," I muttered and checked the clock. It was now eleven-forty.

I washed my mouth out with water to chase the nasty taste away and threw on a white button down shirt so that I had some form of coverage.

I figured that there was no point in me sitting around and moping, so I hopped out of the house and down towards the beach. It was easier to walk on sand, and I was surprised that I was able to stay upright.

There were people around partying and drinking, but they weren't sloppy. There weren't that many college kids that could afford to come here for break. This was mostly a resort for the super-rich who liked to put their money on display, my father included.

I walked along the shore until I came to my favorite little hut on the pier. It wasn't anything special, but it served spicy rum, thus, it was my favorite. I probably shouldn't be drinking with the medication however, it was New Year's Eve; I was in no way receiving my kiss, my leg was bandaged like a war victim, and I was in need of some liquid fire. I decided to treat myself. There were only about five people sitting at the bar, and they were mostly couples. There was a lot of nuzzling and touching, so I sat on the opposite side.

I parked myself at the bar and a large, tanned man with gray hair walked up to my spot. "Hi, Edward. What can I get ya tonight?"

"Double Captain with coke." I held my head in my hands.

"Rough night?" he asked.

"Rough year. I'm glad it's over," I sighed.

He pushed the drink in front of me. "I think you're just stressed. You've been coming in here every night for the past week and a half, and I haven't seen you smile once. You're on vacation, damn it."

"I know, I know. I am having fun," I lied, taking back the first of what was sure to be many glasses of rum.

"I say just have a blast here and then go back to your normal life. It never hurt anyone to let loose."

"I don't let loose." I drank some more of what he gave me, letting the burn slither down my throat.

"Do you have a lady friend?" he asked. "She might be able to provide you with some help."

"She's not here."

"Oh, so that's why you've been so down. I thought it was just because you hated me," he laughed.

"I could never hate the man who provides me with my nightly elixir." I raised my glass.

"Here, here." He boisterously laughed and handed me a beer. He went further down the bar to tend to other patrons.

I looked the clock on the grass wall of the hut and the second hand ticked closer to the twelve. The people next to me started drunkenly counting down.

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Happy New Year!"

There was a lot of shouting, and I said the obligatory Italian prayer for good luck before taking back more rum.

"Hi, I couldn't help but notice that you were all alone," a bouncy voice said form next to me.

"Yeah," I said and looked at the girl who was already starting to annoy me.

"I'm Ginger." She held out her hand.

I snorted. "Ginger? Great stripper name." I sipped on my beer.

She giggled, "Everyone makes fun of me for it, but there are some of us out there with stripper names who don't strip; Ginger Rogers for example."

"Point taken."

The girl was young with dark brown eyes and muddy colored hair. She had a round face with hard features, and I almost laughed at how much she reminded me of a watered down version of Bella. As much as Ginger claimed to not be a stripper, she had a rack that was obviously altered.

"I saw you yesterday… by yourself again." She moved closer to me. "I was with my cousin Jane."

"I know her." I nodded.

"Yeah, we're on break, and it's been fun so far."

"That's good," I clipped, trying to tell her to go away without being rude.

"Are you having fun?" Ginger moved even closer, and I felt her hip as it brushed against my knee. "I hate it when guys look lonely."

"I bet you do," I muttered.

_Stripper!_

"Do you want to go for a swim?" Ginger's small fingers began unbuttoning my shirt from the top, and she kissed my collarbone.

"I need to go." I pushed her away and got up from my seat. I didn't even look back as I started to sway back home.

I wasn't drunk, but the combination of medication with alcohol was not something that I had experienced in a long time. In my younger days, I would be blacked out on Xanax and vodka for days. I even woke up in Canada one time, not knowing how the hell I got there.

It took me a little while longer to get back home. At one point, I had to stop and remember how to get there, but I made it just as the bright red fireworks were shooting overhead.

When I reached the porch, I sat down on the chaise lounge and felt something hard underneath me. I pulled out my copy of _Paradise Lost_ and blinked until I could see the cover clearly. I decided that now was as good a time as any to finish this thing up and cracked it open.

It was hard to think with my mental state being so fucked up, but I could make out words and understood them somewhat. I was going to have to re-read this when I was completely clean.

"I'm sorry about what happened back there." Soft footsteps came up the steps." I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm fine. Go away," I said to Ginger, not feeling like lifting my head up.

"Can't we just sit and talk? Jane is out with some guy and I'm alone tonight."

"Just let me read," I almost pleaded with her.

"Whatcha reading?" Ginger sat down on the lounge nimbly.

"_Paradise Lost." _I showed her the cover.

"Never heard of it."

"That doesn't surprise me."

We sat in silence for a long while. I kept reading, and I guessed she was looking up at the fireworks. I didn't really care because frankly, she was getting on my nerves just by sitting next to me.

I wondered what that was about. Why did I have such a low tolerance for people? I wasn't a hermit or anything like that, but people just annoyed the hell out of me for some reason.

_Another question for another day. _

I felt a hand on my thigh and thought I was just imagining things, so I kept reading. I figured I wasn't dreaming with the hand gave my leg a squeeze and went inward.

"Could you please remove your hand from me?" I said through tight lips.

"Is this bothering you?" She batted her eyelashes at me.

"Yes. I have a girlfriend, and I don't think she would appreciate this."

"Okay, then." Like she didn't hear a word I said, Ginger boldly climbed into my lap, one leg on either side of me. She threw my book to the side and forced her lips onto mine.

I was so taken by surprise that I didn't know what to do at first. I just sat there while her lips molded to mine. It wasn't unpleasant per se, but it just didn't feel right.

Maybe it was my medication or maybe I was imagining Bella here with me, but when Ginger licked my bottom lip asking for entrance, I granted it and sucked gently. There was moaning, I didn't know from whom, but there was a lot of it and her hands went from my chest to my hair. She pulled tightly, bolting herself to my body, and I felt her hips roll into my crotch that was starting to respond.

"I like you hair," she panted.

"Thank you." I kissed her neck and got the sudden urge to take this further.

I took control, flipping us on the couch so that I was on top of her. Ginger's leg went around my hip, and I recaptured her lips with mine. Her hands trailed down my body with caressing gestures that I took as an indication that this was going to progress further.

"Shit, Bella… You're driving me crazy." I sucked on the skin of her neck, pulling it between my teeth.

I moved my hands from Bella's waist, under her shirt and felt the skin of her stomach that was just begging to be licked. I massaged until I moved higher and grazed the underside of the naked breasts that seemed to have grown since that last time I saw her.

I ran both of my thumbs over her nipples that pebbled immediately, and she arched up into my hands as my mouth started to ravish her with almost animal-like passion.

"Bella, I missed this so much." I continued to kiss from her lips downward.

"You can call me whatever you want, but my name's Ginger." She reached into my swim trunks and wrapped her fingers around my now prominent erection.

I stopped cold, and my blood discontinued its thunderous pumping.

My breathing was staggered, and my lips felt icy. I realized that something wasn't right because my Bella's lips were never cold.

"What… what the hell did you just say?" I breathed heavily.

"My name's Ginger." She continued to move around my dick that was starting to recede even though he was receiving some attention.

I jumped off of her and stumbled backwards, almost falling over the railing. "What the hell?"

"What the hell, what?" She sat up and her left breast was peeping out the tank top she was in.

"You're not Bella." I shook my head.

"I can be whoever you want me to be." She opened her legs for me, inviting me in.

"No, no, no, no." I gripped my hair. "This can't be happening."

"What's wrong? Are you sick?"

"Go away," I said with a shaky breath and knelt on the ground so that I didn't collapse.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"I said go away." My chest vibrated with such a growl that I almost sounded like something from a safari.

"You're a jackass," she huffed and stomped off of the porch.

I didn't know what I was doing, I couldn't remember anything past five minutes ago, and my head was pounding like an elf was jumping around inside. My breathing was to the point of gasping, and all I could think about was Bella.

_Do I tell her? _

_What do I say? _

_No one saw. Should I keep this to myself? _

I tried to shut the questions up in my head, but they kept coming.

_Why did I do that? _

_What was I thinking? _

_Did that really even just happen? _

No matter which way I spun it, I had fucked up. I _let_ that stripper put her tongue down my throat, and I was the one who took over. I didn't care if I was boozed to death, I shouldn't have ever been in this position. I thought I had been over the sluts and the late night fuck fests.

I staggered back up the stairs with a mind full of unanswered queries.

I had to darkly laugh at my situation when I saw my copy of _Paradise Lost_ sitting open on the ground. The irony of the words seeped into me like glass, cutting and tearing.

This hurt worse than any fucking gash on my leg.

* * *

**HOLY...I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO SAY ANYTHING**

**I WON'T SPOIL IT SO I'LL STAY QUIET. COME BACK ON FRIDAY FOR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. I KNOW, I'M EVIL. **

**THANKS JENNY FOR THE BETA'ING.  
**


	32. Chapter 31

The Revolutionary

BELLA POV

"_Love is a sacred reserve of energy; it is like the __blood__ of spiritual evolution__"- __Teilhard de Chardin_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I sat on the sofa in front of the window in the family room that I used to do my homework in.

The snow was falling around the Forks landscape, making it feel like I was in a movie. There were only a couple houses on Charlie's street so there was basically nothing but woods around us. Each tree was slowly being blanketed in white. I used to like all of the powdered covered forests but now, those tall trees turned into the giant skyscrapers of Chicago in my mind.

I missed Edward. I missed the city. I missed everyone.

I was happy to be home, that was for sure, but I could only take Forks for so long. This place was boring the hell out of me. Angela and Ben had gone on a trip with their families to California and Charlie suddenly had a rush of work over the holidays, so I basically only saw him on Christmas. Only Mike had been around, and I was avoiding him like the plague.

He was calling almost twice a day and even knocked on the door a couple of days ago. After that first initial meeting to tell him that whatever we had was ending, I stopped talking to him completely. He was one of those guys who could get kind of obsessive. I just never noticed it before. He was starting to give up, though, and I told him if we couldn't just be friends, then I was going to have to cut him off completely.

So, without my friends and my father and my Edward, I was sitting here on the couch. Thankfully, I had books, lots of books that I received for Christmas. They were entertaining me as well as the new laptop that I was beginning to fall in love with.

That being said, I was still bored. I was sitting here in this house like an old spinster. It was a wonder that I hadn't befriended a cat by now and claimed him as my child.

Yesterday was New Years, and it was my first one with an actual boyfriend that I loved. Where was my kiss? Hell, where was my iChat message? Edward hadn't called me all day. I was okay with that because I knew he was probably busy trying to conquer surfing again, but I would have hoped that he at least left me some kind of sign that he was thinking about me.

I called him on several occasions and his icon was illuminated on the computer, so I knew it was powered up. He just didn't answer. That slightly worried me, but I didn't let my strange feelings get into my head.

I sighed again as I looked out of the window at the falling snow and squinted into the distance at the car across the street. A small smile crept onto my face when I saw Benny sitting there bobbing his head to some music.

"Always watching out," I said to myself. I took a long gulp of the hot chocolate I was drinking, and then put it on the windowsill.

I quickly got up from my seat, letting my blanket fall to the floor and went into the kitchen. I pulled out a couple packets of hot chocolate and decided to make it the old fashioned way. I put a pot of water on the old stove and poured five packets of chocolate powder into five separate thermoses that we had in the cabinet. I had to stand on the counter to get the milk chocolate chips from the top shelf so that I could put a few in each cup as well.

When the water was boiling, I poured the appropriate amount into the thermoses, melting the powder and chips at the same time. I stirred them until they were all dissolved.

I smiled at the thought of Renee doing the same thing for me every Christmas break. Charlie even had his own version that consisted of scalding hot water and too much chocolate. God bless him.

I added some cream to the steaming concoctions and did a final stir before putting the five cups into a lunchbox. I stuffed my feet in some boots and threw on a jacket. I was almost out of the door before I remembered how Charlie took his hot chocolate and wondered if the bodyguards would like theirs the same way. I guessed yes.

I went out into the blistering cold and was thankful that there wasn't a blizzard as I stomped through the snow covered lawn. It wasn't that deep, so I made it easily over the car. Benny rolled down the window with a smile, and I noticed three other men stuffed in there with him.

"Hello, Miss Swan. Are you having a nice holiday?" Benny asked.

"Yes, thank you. I was wondering if you guys were cold." I unzipped the lunchbox and handed him the warm thermoses. He passed them around the car.

"Thank you," he replied enthusiastically.

I watched as the big men in the car opened the tops and sniffed at them. They kept their smiles up, but I could see the apprehension in their eyes.

I took out the small bottle of bourbon from my jacket and handed it to Benny. "Not too much. You're on the job," I laughed.

"Thank you," he sighed happily and poured a liberal amount into his cup before passing it on.

"It's freezing out here. You guys are crazy." I bundled up.

"We would be crazier to disobey orders." He sipped his hot chocolate.

"Well, have a good rest of the day. The sun's supposed to be out soon." I looked up to the dark, gray clouds.

"I don't think I've seen the sun since I've been in this town. What's up with that?" he asked.

"Welcome to Forks." I held up my hands and walked backwards and waved. He closed the window tightly, and then went back to bobbing his head.

I shut and locked the door, waiting for the day to truly begin.

I checked my laptop; still no call from Edward. I sat on the couch, turned on the TV for background music and dove into reading a copy of _Dante's Inferno._ I know, pretty morbid stuff for the holidays, but I couldn't help it. Plus, it was a first edition. It was so rare that I didn't even want to think about how much Edward paid for it.

I must have been reading for hours because by the time I looked up, it was darker outside. I looked around like I was in some alternate universe. My stomach wasn't growling, and I didn't feel sleepy. The sun in the sky was just kind of high, but I looked at the clock and saw that it already read five.

"Wow, that was interesting." I closed my book and stretched.

Charlie would be home in about an hour, so I decided to get up and make him something to eat. We still had leftovers from Christmas, but I knew he was getting tired of it. I started pulling things out to make Grandma Swan's famous beef stroganoff.

I had the pasta boiling, the onions and vegetables sauteing and got the beef diced up.

There was a knock on the door and I looked around again, trying to figure out who was coming over so late in the afternoon.

"Who is it?" I called and stood on my toes to see through the peep hole.

"Edward," a deep voice replied.

I could see his face, magnified from the mirror in the door and my mouth hit the floor. A massive smile appeared on my face when I opened the door.

Edward was standing there with his hands in his pockets and his head bowed. There was snow in his hair, and I almost died from how gorgeous he looked.

I shamelessly threw myself at him and wrapped my arms around his neck, almost knocking us both off of the porch.

"What are you doing here?" I buried my face in his neck and took a deep breath. It was pathetic, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

"I needed to see you." His strong arms wrapped around my waist tightly, almost to the point where I couldn't breathe. Something about his voice sounded cracked and dry.

"You're here," I said lamely, like it wasn't obvious.

"Yeah," he sighed. I felt his lips on the side of my head.

He set me back down, and I backed away with an enormous smile on my face that faded when I realized what situation we were truly in.

"Wait, did anyone see you? Why are you here?" I looked around nervously.

"I had to come." He ducked his head and kicked a plank on the porch.

"Well, I'm glad you did, but you really shouldn't have. You know we're going to get in a shit load of trouble." I pulled him inside quickly and did another survey outside. It was dead, but I did notice an impressive, black Lamborghini in the spot where Charlie normally parked his cruiser.

_Only Edward. _

I shut and locked the door before standing in front of Edward in the hallway.

"I missed you," I exhaled, "and I know that sounds clingy or whatever, but…"

He painfully smiled. "I missed you, too, Bella. It's not clingy."

"Look at you, getting all emotional on me." I went up to him for a kiss.

Our lips touched, and I felt like I could breathe for the first time in a long time.

His hands went to my hips and mine went into his hair, pulling him closer. Our tongues didn't wait to be asked as they thrashed against each other, the evidence of our separation just pushing us that much further.

I was forced against the wall and felt his hand gravitate towards my thigh before he lifted it around his waist. The sounds of our kisses were fantastic, and the taste of him after two weeks was incredible. I didn't bother not moaning or breathing harshly, because I couldn't help it.

Edward's lips took my neck with a harshness that I hadn't felt in God knows how long, and I felt that familiar tingle in between my legs as he pushed himself up against my body and pressed into me.

"Edward…" I panted.

I couldn't say more because his lips were on mine again, devouring me with a pent up energy that I had been dying for. There was a feral vigor to his kiss, and I soaked up everything I could.

The sound of a crashing frame brought me out of my lustful bubble.

"Edward, we have to slow down," I gasped and pushed him back, letting my leg drop to the floor.

"Oh…" He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I didn't even realize…"

I picked up the picture off of the floor that had shattered when it fell from the wall. It was a photograph of me when I was toothless and in pigtails. I thought it was appropriate that it be set aside while Edward was here.

"What are you doing here?" I asked again and took his hand, leading him into the kitchen. "You need to leave in about fifteen minutes, by the way."

"I just needed to come." He sighed and his cheeks puffed out when he let his air go. "This is… nice." He looked around the house.

"It's modest," I corrected him. "Charlie's a modest man."

"Yeah." He kept his head down.

That was when I noticed how tired he looked. His skin was sun kissed with a slight tan that I had never seen on him before. It was hot. He was dressed casually—for him—in dress pants and a regular button up. He took off his heavy pea coat and set it on the back of a chair.

"Are you hungry?" I asked and dumped the pasta into the pan, mixing it with the sauce that had been bubbling.

"Not really." He shrugged.

He sat at the table and let out more deep breaths. I knew this kind of Edward.

There was something on his mind that he didn't want to tell me. I was slightly scared of what he had to say. Edward Cullen never made a trip without a purpose, especially not all the way across the country from a beachside vacation in the Bahamas. I didn't care how much he missed me.

"Charlie will be home soon," I said as I finished making the meal, turning off the stove.

"Really? I thought I could miss him."

"How long do you plan on staying?"

"Not long." He looked at me and sadly smiled.

"Are you sure you're not hungry or thirsty? Nothing?" I took his hand again, this time pulling him into the family room.

"No, I'm fine." His eyes darted throughout the room. "I see you've been reading."

"Yeah, _Dante's Inferno_ is deep stuff." I sat down on the sofa. "I should be scared that you're here, but I'm just too excited."

He nodded. "I know I didn't call yesterday. I was… dealing with some stuff."

"Is everything alright?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, it's fine. I just wanted to see you."

"You're a terrible liar all of a sudden," I laughed.

"Why would you assume something's wrong?" Edward licked his lips.

"Come on, you didn't pack up and take a plane all the way here for nothing. Tell me what's going on. Is it all okay?"

"Not really," Edward said, more like a question, and his forehead scrunched in thought.

"What is it?" My voice was starting to crack.

"Uh…"

There was a loud pounding at the door that jolted me back to reality. My heart started beating really quickly, and I almost fell off of the couch.

I took a quick peak outside and exhaled in relief when I didn't see Charlie's car. Instead, I saw Mike's.

"Don't move." I pointed at Edward. "I mean it."

"Who is it?" He stood up.

"No one. Just sit there until I come back." I pushed him back down.

He grumbled but nodded and crossed his arms.

I went to the door and opened it cautiously to reveal Mike's bright face.

"Hey, Bella." He smiled.

"What are you doing here?" I leaned against the door jamb, so he didn't think it was okay for him to come inside.

"I just thought it would be fun if you came out ice skating tonight. Everyone's going."

"Everyone?" I asked.

"Yeah, well, not Ben and Angela obviously, but a lot of kids from high school." He pointed behind him. "Whose Lambo is that? It's hot."

"No one's, and I can't go," I answered.

"Why not? You haven't been out of the house since you got here." He pouted playfully. "Come on, get your coat."

"No, Mike," I said more firmly. "I'm dealing with some things and I don't want o go tonight."

He sighed in a frustrated way. "I just don't get you, Bella."

"Why? I'm the same me."

"No, you're not. You've changed so much since you left. We used to have so much fun."

"And I told you why we couldn't do that anymore. I have a boyfriend." I shrugged. "Sorry. I tried to be just friends, but you didn't like that very much."

"I was being friendly," he said innocently.

"We watched a movie last week, and you had your hand on my leg the whole time. No matter how much I pushed you away, you kept trying." I tried to shut the door.

He stopped me. "Okay, listen. I'm sorry. I just didn't think things were going to change this much. You said you were going to call and email, but I got nothing for our months."

"A phone and computer work both ways, Mike. I'm over explaining things to you. Goodbye."

"You turned into such a bitch," he said loudly. "I can't stand you anymore and everyone was saying that you were going to change, but I always defended you. I was convinced that the big city wasn't going to screw up my best friend."

"Mike, go home." I didn't even bother care to speak with him anymore.

He darkly laughed. "Such a bitch, just like everyone said."

"What did you just say?" I heard Edward's voice come from behind me. His tone was so furious, I started to shake.

I stepped outside and shut the door, suddenly over the whole "you're a bitch thing". Mike's safety was in danger.

"You need to leave." I started pushing him off of the porch.

"I'm not going anywhere. I want you to come out tonight," he pleaded.

"Go home, Mike. Now. I'm serious," I stressed, and I heard the door open behind me. "Get in your car and go."

"Who the fuck is that?" Mike asked.

I was now focusing my efforts on Edward because I didn't need a fight in my front yard.

"Go back inside," I told Edward.

"What the hell did you just say?" Edward bypassed me and stood on the stairs, two above Mike.

"I don't know who you are, but you better get out of my face."

"Did you just call her a bitch?" he snarled.

"So what if I did? Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am, but you need to think very about what you say next. I won't put up with you speaking to her that way."

"Bella, who the fuck is this?" Mike asked again.

"Just go home." I stood in between them. "Please, Charlie's going to be here soon and I don't want him to arrest you both if something happens."

"Come out with us." Mike started pulling me off of the porch, but I was snatched back so quickly that I almost slipped on the ice.

Edward had Mike by the collar of his jacket and had a massive gun pointed right under his chin.

"Edward, stop it." I tried to pull him off. "Don't do anything stupid."

Mike was shivering, and I was pretty damn sure it wasn't from the cold.

"You need to leave right now." Edward's eyes were so fierce and deadly, I was seriously scared for everyone's safety. I looked across the street, but Benny's car wasn't there anymore.

"Dude, what the hell?" Mike tried to back away, but Edward had a firm hold on him.

"If I ever see you put your hands on her again, I will kill you. If you so much as breathe within two feet of her, I will kill you. If you even think of looking at her, I will kill you. If you see her on the same side of the street, I want you to cross it so that you won't be tempted to speak. Do I make myself clear?" Edward demanded.

Mike nodded solemnly, and Edward pushed him away.

"I don't want to see you again." he put his gun back in his belt and stomped back up the stairs.

"What the hell?" Mike stumbled backwards. "Is that the kind of trash you're dating?"

"Mike, just go home and I'm sorry about all of this." I tried to smooth things over.

"I was right. You have turned into a real bitch." He wiped his lip that had split, and his shaking hands pulled out his keys. He dropped them a couple of times.

I went back inside, not wanting to see him pathetically try to gain his bearings.

Had I really changed that much? Had I become the bitch that everyone claimed I was?

I stayed in the hall and calmed my breathing. I didn't hear his car starting, but I wasn't really paying attention.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed heavily before going back into the family room.

"Edward?" I looked around. He wasn't there.

There was a cold breeze that flowed around me, and I saw that the window on the other side of the room was opened.

"Shit," I hissed when I saw Edward pumping Mike with his fists outside.

I ran and yanked the door opened but couldn't speak as I saw the splattering of blood over the pristine white snow on the yard.

I didn't really know what to do as I watched Edward manhandle my former best friend like he was a ragdoll. They were rolling around on the ground, but it was nothing like the last fight I had seen Edward in. This was purely his win. I just gaped at the blood that was pouring from Mike's face.

"Edward, get off of him." I rushed towards them and grabbed a hold of Edward's shirt.

He came up easier than I thought, and I backed him up. "What is wrong with you?" I was tempted to slap some sense into him.

"I warned him." Edward breathed heavily, his face red from the cold and adrenalin. "I fucking warned him."

"You're insane, man." Mike was nursing his busted up face that looked like a piece of meat. "What the hell kind of shit do you hang out with, Bella?"

"I'm sorry, Mike." I was holding Edward back, but if he wanted to get away from me, he could.

"Don't apologize to him," Edward growled. "He deserves to be dead."

"Edward, stop it."

"I'm calling the police." Mike whimpered.

"Go ahead. I've never been afraid of the cops. Besides, do you really think Charlie would arrest me?" Edward got out of my hold and kicked Mike in the ribs. I heard a crack, and my body flinched from thinking about it.

This time, Mike decided to get ballsy and grabbed Edward's leg, pulling him to the ground to lay a fist into his jaw.

"Stop it." I tried to break them up, but they were rolling away from me in the snow. I was surprised that no one had come outside yet.

"Edward, go inside." I yanked him up and pushed him hard. "Stop it," I said again and held his face in my hands. "Listen to me; don't do anything crazy. Go back inside."

The heat from Edward's harsh breaths blew fog into my face, and he calmed down after a couple of seconds. His skin had minimal scars, and it looked like he might have had a small fall from a bike. He nodded and then fixed his shirt, going back up the porch steps. I heard the door slam. I was so caught up in everything that I could barely think straight.

I got on the ground, the snow melting into my jeans. Mike was trying to get up but wasn't doing a very good job. His face was bloodied to the point that I couldn't even look at him. He was swollen, beaten, bruised, cut up, and bleeding profusely.

"I'm so sorry." I touched his shoulder, and he flinched dramatically.

"I'm fine." His voice quivered. "I'm going home." He stood up painfully, and I followed him to his car.

I didn't really know what to say, so I just stood there and watched as he clumsily drove off down the street.

I shuffled my feet through the sludgy snow and stomped onto the porch.

Edward was standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall with a hard look on his face.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I didn't bother hiding my anger.

Edward shrugged. "He called you a bitch."

"So you attacked him? You can't do that, Edward."

"Yes, I can. I won't allow him talking to you that way."

"You won't allow him?" I repeated his words. "This is why you should have never came. I knew something like this was going to happen."

"I'm not sorry," he replied nonchalantly.

"Do you even feel bad?" I threw my hands up.

"Do I ever?"

"No, you don't," I sighed and knew that there was no changing him.

"He can't talk to you that way. "

"Let me see your hands," I said, "and thank you for defending me. That was sweet in a twisted way."

Edward gave them to me. They were bloody and raw, but nothing too serious.

"You shouldn't have come if you were going to beat everyone up. This is a small town, Edward. This is going to be news before dinner."

"I don't care."

"But I do. This is my home. I've known these people since I was little. You can't go pounding my friends."

"He wasn't your friend."

"Maybe not, but you can't beat up everyone who calls me a bitch."

"That's why I'm here." His lip twitched.

"Come into the kitchen." I went to get the salt and plugged up the sink, just as I had done with Alec a couple months back.

He stuck his hands under the hot water and winced from the temperature, but didn't say anything. There wasn't a stray string from his clothes, and his hair was only slightly more wild than normal.

I dumped the salt in and started to run my fingers lightly over Edward's knuckles. I didn't say anything as I massaged his hands with mine, and I felt his breath close to the skin of my face.

"Thank you," he muttered.

"I'm glad you came, but you shouldn't have. We're going to be in a lot of trouble."

"I don't care. I had to see you."

"I'm going to back in Chicago in four days. You couldn't wait that long?"

"No," he sighed, "I have something to tell you."

"I figured." I continued to rub the saltwater over his hands. "Did someone die?" I questioned, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"No."

I nodded. "Is it bad?"

"Yes."

"Okay, tell me." I didn't look at him.

Edward stayed silent for a long time, barely breathing. It must have been a full minute before he said something again.

"I did something bad." His voice was low and stressed.

My heart beat sped up, just imagining what he could be talking about. There were only a couple of things that I could come up with, but I didn't want to believe them.

"You have to promise me that you'll let me talk before you fly off the handle," he begged.

"Just tell me, Edward." My small fingers wrapped around his under the cloudy water.

"I kissed someone." He spoke firmly, but it still managed to be so quiet that I almost didn't hear it.

My hands shook and my breathing came harsher. "Kissed… someone?"

"Yes. A woman… while I was in the Bahamas."

"Oh, was she nice?" I asked stupidly, not wanting to hear the story.

"No, she wasn't nice. I… I know this isn't an excuse, but I was hopped up on pain pills and had a couple of shots. She was just there, in the bar, and I walked away."

"Really?" I took my hands out of the water and dried them off.

"Yes, you have to believe me. I walked away… at first and I went back to the house, but I guess she followed me. I was trying to ignore her, and then she… just kissed me."

I always knew in the back of my mind that there was the chance that this would happen. How long did I think he could pretend with me?

"What happened after that?" I turned to him, still seemingly unaffected because I didn't know the whole story. Underneath the surface, though, I was fuming.

"I let her kiss me." Edward hung his head. "I let her take it that far and I… liked it. My mind was so messed up, and I got confused."

"That's a weak excuse, Edward," I snarled, throwing the dishtowel at him. "How far did it go?"

"There was… some heavy touching." He raised his eyes to meet mine; they held a deep level of sadness that I had never seen before.

"Heavy touching? Did she have nice boobs?"

He didn't reply.

"Did you enjoy her hands on you?"

Once again, he stayed silent.

"Get out of my house." I walked away from him, out of the kitchen and wanted to make my way to my room.

He followed me. "Bella, I'm sorry. You have to understand that she meant nothing."

"If she didn't mean anything then you wouldn't have done anything with her."

"Look, I'm being the man here and I'm telling you what I did. I'm trying to not let secrets eat us up and I think I deserve…"

"I don't give a shit." I spun around. "I trusted you; I've always trusted you, and I'm actually surprised that this hasn't happened before. Or has it?"

"No, this is the first time and I didn't know what was happening." He scrambled for an excuse.

"I don't even know what to say," I replied truthfully. "I should be mad as hell. I _am _mad as hell, but on some level, I knew that this would happen. I knew you would do something like this. How could you not? Nothing in your past gave me the slightest inkling that you would stay faithful."

"It was just a kiss, and I was drugged." he muttered as I started up the stairs.

"Just a kiss? Is that what you just said?"

"Comparatively, it could have been worse."

"You're unbelievable. You shove a gun down someone's throat if they even look at me wrong and you expect me to be forgiving after you hooked up with some beach bunny?"

"I never meant for this to happen. It was just a kiss."

"What if I just had a kiss with Mike or… James or someone?"

"I won't let you." His eyes bore into mine.

"You won't let me?" I shouted. "Unbelievable."

"I know I messed up. I just need you to tell me what to do," he sighed.

"You don't even know what to say, do you?" I was slightly shocked. "You've never cared about anyone like you have me. I can see it and with anyone else, you could just do whatever you want and get away with it. I'm not one of your whores. You remember when you told me that? You can't do what you want with me. I trusted you." My blood was boiling. I was so mad that I wanted to start a revolution or something insane like that. I couldn't even see straight.

"But you have to admit that I've been trying. This is all new to me…"

I cut him off, "That's bullshit. You're an adult. You know the difference between right and wrong. You lasted a grand total five months."

"I came here to tell you. I could have kept this to myself for the rest of my life and never said one word."

"Then why did you?" I felt the tears sting my eyes, but I wasn't going to let them fall in front of him.

"Why did I what?"

"Why did you tell me?"

He looked at me, stunned for second. "I… I don't know."

"You're still the same old Edward."

"Look, Bella, I had some medication in my system. It wasn't entirely my fault."

"So…you're not going to take blame for anything."

"Well, yes, but I wasn't in my right mind."

I nodded, "I know and that's what makes me feel weary, because you're always drinking or smoking something. When is your mind ever right? You're an adult. You should have known not to mix drinks and fucking medication. That was your fault."

"I know you're upset but I stopped things when I realized what I was doing."

"I trusted you Edward and I love you. I still do and I realize that you made a mistake, but I just need some time to think so could you please leave?" I closed my eyes to stop the tears.

"We need to talk about this." Edward stopped me from going up the stairs.

"I don't want to talk to you." I ripped my hand from his.

"Why? Every time I want to talk, you just shut down. We need to scream this out or nothing is going to get solved. I said I'm sorry. What more do you want?" he shouted.

"Leave me alone. Get out of my house!"

"I'm trying to be the better person here. Please just sit and listen to what I have to say."

"I have and I don't want you hear anymore. You're an arrogant, conceited, egotistical man whore and I don't want to ever see you again."

Edward was about to say something else, but a baritone throat cleared itself in the doorway. Edward and I both turned to see Charlie standing there with a confused look.

"Bella." He greeted normally but was looking at Edward. "Who's your friend?"

"No one. He was just leaving." I crossed my arms.

"No, I wasn't." Edward argued and my eyes bugged out when he walked up to Charlie. "Chief Swan, it's nice to meet you. I'm Edward Masen, Bella's boyfriend." The name thing was a lie, but I wasn't even thinking correctly to notice that the Police Chief was meeting the Mafia Prince.

"He's not my boyfriend," I snapped.

Charlie looked between us and then shook Edward's hand. "It's nice to meet the man I've heard nothing about."

"He's a jackass." I was starting to get very annoyed and my immature, eighteen year-old self just wanted to cry my eyes out. I didn't want to leave those two alone though. Who knew what would happen?

"Son, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Charlie spoke to Edward. "It's obvious that my daughter doesn't want you here and I'm sorry, but she comes first."

Edward's lips meshed into a hard line, but he nodded. He turned back to me and was going to say something.

"I don't want to hear it, Edward," I interrupted him.

"Are we breaking up?"

As much as I wanted to say "no", I couldn't. But I couldn't bring myself to say "yes", either. My whole mind was a grumbled mess, and I couldn't even think straight. Instead of answering him, I flew up the stairs and didn't look back.

From my window, five minutes later, I saw Edward get into his black sports car and speed off down the snow covered roads.

That night, I shed my first tears over a boy since my freshman year in high school. Unlike that time, when the next morning came, I wasn't better, and I wasn't over it.

Edward had cheated on me.

I know that to some people I might seem overly dramatic and make mountains out of molehills, but I felt cheated on. I felt betrayed and lied to. He had taken what faith I had in him and crushed it underneath his fine, Italian loafers. Now what was I supposed to do? Forgive him?

The thing that made me so mad was that I had already forgiven him. The minute he told me, my body just automatically started making excuses and justifications for his actions like I always did. This time, he was in the wrong and even though it was just a kiss with another woman, it was still a crack in what we had. the kiss was forgivable, the reasoning behind it wasn't. Maybe that doesn't make any sense, but in my mind I was trying to work things out. I wasn't going to just roll over this time and coddle Edward because he made a mistake.

All throughout that night and the next morning, I was crying over a love that I knew would never last. Even from the start of this, I figured that Edward would be the one to flake first. He wasn't made for this. Could I blame him for trying?

Hell yes, I could.

I wasn't that girl who just got into a relationship because the guy looked nice. I was an all-in type of girl. I wore my heart on my sleeve and this hurt. Edward hurt me; that was all there was to it. I hated that it affected me so horribly. I loved him; I still did, even with all his mistakes and screw ups. If I got past all of those, could I just let him slip by again?

I wanted to, I really did, but I was literally sick to my stomach. How could he do this to me? I thought he loved me.

Edward said something about alcohol and pain pills, but that wasn't an excuse. He had to stop making excuses. _He _did this; not his drinking. And if I forgave him now, what would happen if he did the same thing again? He was a creature of habit, and it was only a matter of time before he did something like this. We'd lasted a total of five months.

I didn't know what was going to happen, and I think I was still too pissed to think of the future. I just needed to breathe and take things slow in my head. This wasn't some high school crush. I was in love with Edward, deeply in love. That was probably why this hurt so badly. I didn't think I was going to break up with him. I loved him too much to do that, but I certainly needed some space and lots of it.

Thankfully, Charlie left me alone all night. That was the good thing about my father; he never pried. I didn't think I could explain things to him right now.

When I couldn't think anymore, I decided that it was time to get up. The clock on my nightstand read noon.

My mouth was dry, my throat was aching from crying, my eyes were throbbing, and my pulse was slow and loud in my ears.

I sat up and looked around my room. How could it be that just twenty-four hours ago, I was happily thinking about being reunited with Edward and now, all I could think about was getting as far away from him as possible? I was tempted to even stay here next semester. Who needs Chicago?

I stood in the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was a mess and there were deep bags under my eyes that made me look ten years older.

After I brushed my teeth and threw some water over my pale face, I decided that it was time to make myself known to the world.

I took several deep breathes in the hallway and was hit in the nose by what smelled like perfume. I actually had to cough a couple of times.

I started downstairs and when I reached the bottom step, my mouth hung open. It seemed like it was always hanging open these days.

The whole house-the kitchen, the hallways, the family room-every free space was filled with purple flowers in vases. They were massive bushels of small shaped plants and there must have been hundreds.

Charlie was running around the family room, grumbling to himself, but then noticed me. "Oh, good. You're up. Now you can explain to me why there's been a delivery man at door every half hour since four, bringing you flowers."

"These are all for me?" I asked lamely and stepped into the room.

"Yes, Bella. My house is filled with plants. I can't even walk." Charlie tripped over a vase and then kicked it. The lines of his face were more defined and it was turning an off shade of red.

"Did Edward send these?" I almost shouted.

He thought he could buy me off with flowers like he always did?

"I don't know. There's no name, but there are all these damn cards." He threw some pieces of paper in the air. "They're all in Italian. I can't stand this. I can't even breathe correctly."

"Tell the deliveryman to stop sending them." I went to the first vase I saw and pulled out the card. Just like Charlie said, the line of scripture was in Italian, so I couldn't understand it.

"I can't. He was paid to keep sending them for the next twenty four hours, every half hour. There's no more room."

I looked around and didn't know what to grab first.

The doorbell rang, and I stopped in my tracks.

"There goes another one." Charlie pulled out the shotgun he stashed in the closet and cocked it with one hand. "This is getting ridiculous."

I chased after him towards the door, and he ripped it open.

"What?" He growled at the scared looking deliveryman.

"Look, dude. I told you the first time that I can't just _not _deliver them. It's my job."

"I don't want any more. Leave them outside."

"No, I was told to bring them inside."

"I'll have you arrested." Charlie spoke with an authoritative tone and showed off the impressive gun he was wielding.

"Call my manger, but until he tells me to stop, you'll be getting flowers." He handed the next batch to Charlie who took them with a snarl and slammed the door.

I raced outside so that I could catch the deliveryman. "Excuse me." I covered myself up. "Can you just send these flowers somewhere else? They're all for me."

"And where do you think they should go?" The man shivered from the cold.

"Uh… the retirement home down the street. Take them over there. I think my dad might shoot up this whole town if he gets another bushel."

"I think I can do that since they are for you." He rolled his eyes. "Peace."

"Wait." I stopped him. "What kind of flowers are they?"

"Hyacinth." He answered. "Someone must have fucked up."

"Why do you say that?"

"Purple hyacinth means 'I'm sorry'."

"Oh, well, thank you."

"No problem."

I ran back inside where Charlie was still grumbling.

"Bella, I think we need to have a talk. Who is this boy?"

"A friend." I went into the kitchen where more flowers were sitting, and I actually had to step over a couple vases on the floor.

"A friend? I'm not stupid Bella. He said he was your boyfriend."

"He was lying. I don't have a boyfriend."

"Well whoever this guy is, he must be very sorry because all of this is a little much, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think." I spun around. "He hurt me!"

"Whoa." Charlie held his hands up. "Calm down. What did he do?"

I took a deep breath to calm myself before I spoke again. "It doesn't matter."

"This is very awkward for me. I don't really know what to say, but I don't like this guy."

"You don't know him."

"I don't have to know him. How old is he?"

"Twenty-one," I lied.

Charlie's forehead wrinkled as his eyebrows shot up. "I don't like that. You can't see him," he said finally.

"Wasn't planning on seeing him for a while." I pulled some orange juice from the fridge.

"Well… good." He began to walk out of the kitchen. "Oh, this came with the first batch of flowers." He handed me a small envelope. "If I get more plants, I'm burning them."

"Please do," I shouted as he turned on the TV in the other room.

I held the note in my hands, knowing it was from Edward, but not wanting to read it.

All that was going through my head were his words from yesterday.

"_I let her kiss me. I let her take it that far and I… liked it. My mind was so messed up and I got confused." _

Images of tight, beach blondes flew through my head as they groped at Edward's body, and he groped back. It made me sick to think of him with someone else. How was I supposed to just forgive and forget that?

With shaking hands, I opened the letter and read it over three times.

_Dear Bella, _

_Like you wanted, I shall leave you alone. I've gone back to Chicago, and I understand why you're so upset. _

_I've never treated you with the respect you deserve. I don't expect you to forgive me because frankly, I wouldn't forgive myself. I truly am sorry and you know I don't say that lightly. I did kiss that woman on the beach. I don't remember her name and she doesn't mean anything to me. I touched her breasts, and I let her touch me. I can't hide that. _

_Yesterday you asked me why I told you, and I realized that it was because I love you enough to tell you. I know that doesn't make any sense and even as I'm writing this, I have no idea how to apologize to you. I tried to warn you all those months ago. I'm not a good man for you, Bella. I'm usually not this soft when it comes to things of this emotional nature, but I'm trying to be a responsible man about everything.  
_

_I won't tell anyone about this. You can choose to tell whomever, but they won't hear about our separation from me. I hope that you can forgive me, and I don't know what it will take for you to understand that I'm trying to change. I never wanted it to be this hard on you. Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe we need this. The problem is: I can't let you go. But I'll be here if you want to talk; when you're ready to talk. _

_I won't bother you. All your stuff will be put back in your dorm and ready for the start of the next semester. Because of who you've been with these past couple of months, the bodyguards won't go away, but they are just there to protect you. _

_Goodbye, Bella. _

_I messed up so don't feel like you have to take the burden for any of this. _

_Love, _

_Edward_

After the third reading, my eyes were so filled with tears that I couldn't see anymore.

* * *

**HOLY SAD BELLA BATMAN**

**IT'S TIMES LIKE THESE THAT I JUST WANT TO KICK EDWARD'S ASS. HE'S SO ANNOYING. **

**MORE WILL COME FROM THE RAMBLINGS LATER. **

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR BETA'ING**

**SINCE PEOPLE STILL ASK, MY TWITTER ACCOUNT- (at)johnnyboy1029  
**


	33. Chapter 32

Cinders and Ashes

EDWARD POV

"_Blood and death. That moves me.__-"__Ikue Mori_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

_

* * *

_

I leaned over my desk and snorted the long, white line of coke. The cartilage of my nose felt like it was rotting away with every hit, but I didn't give a fuck. _Nothing_ mattered but the numbness the high provided me with.

I shook my head to clear the feeling when I was done and leaned back in the chair, running my hands through my hair. My entire body was finally numb again. From my head to my toes, I didn't feel a thing. My blood was flowing at a consistent pace and it kept me warm, but it wasn't my life source; if that made any sense at all.

I had so much cocaine in my system that I could feel the powder basically seeping out of my pores. It was pure numbing, deadening, dazing bliss.

I had been this way for the past month. I couldn't even remember January, minus the horrible New Year's. That was all I could remember nowadays, but I tried not to think about it. It was the sole purpose of the cocaine; I had to have something to chase the images away.

I knew I should have never gone to Forks. It was almost inevitable that it would end badly. What did I think was going to happen? I knew I had to tell her. It was almost a non-issue in my head. I couldn't keep something like my infidelities from Bella. With anyone else, I could. I'd never given a damn who I'd fucked around with and when. It was just how it was. But with her… she deserved to know. Bella was worth at least that much. She was worth more than what I gave her.

Some people might say that Bella and I were being overdramatic. At first, I thought maybe she was. I mean, it was just a kiss, and I stopped it before things got too far. Plus, I was medicated and things weren't right in my head. That got me off the hook, right? I should have gotten _some_ kind of reprieve.

Maybe it was the cocaine or the time I had alone to think, but I realized that none of that mattered. If the roles were reversed, I would be so pissed at her that I would probably kill someone. Medication or not, I fucked up. I understood that, and I couldn't ask Bella to just overlook all of the shit I asked her to put up with any more. I couldn't change like she needed me to. I had tried, but I just couldn't. It was only a matter of time before we cracked.

I got home three days before Bella was scheduled to and had all of her stuff packed. It was waiting for her in her dorm by the time she got back. Benny was still watching her, but I didn't ask him how she was doing. I didn't want to know. He was to just make sure that she was safe. That was all.

My family noticed the change in me. I mean, how could they _not_? I was always strung out now. I always had something going through my system; the old Edward was back. I didn't even think I had the muscles to smile anymore. Esme would ask me what happened, but I wouldn't say anything. I had a suspicion that Alice knew what was going on, so in turn, Jasper probably knew. If he knew, then that meant Emmett and Rosalie knew. Nothing stayed quiet around here.

I never asked Alice how Bella was doing either. I just let her go.

The weird thing was that Bella actually called me. On several occasions, I picked up my phone to see her name flash across the screen. More often than not, I was too high to answer or didn't really want to speak with her. I wouldn't have anything to say if I tried to have a conversation, so I didn't bother. I didn't see her; she stopped coming to church, and my mind kind of had to shut her out or I would go crazy.

I sat back in the chair in my office at Plasma and looked at the calendar to my left. It said that it was February third, but it could have been a whole year later. I wouldn't know.

The base was thumping downstairs, and it was almost laughable at how this mirrored the first night I actually met Bella. Like then, I was high as a kite and hating life. Unlike then, I didn't have a buxomly babe on my desk. Come to think of it, I hadn't had sex in longer than I cared to remember. That didn't bode well for the people around me. I was very agitated for a number of reasons.

The cocaine high started to fade, leaving as seamlessly as it came. I blinked my eyes, and they were clear from the haze.

I got up from my seat and straightened out my tie before going into the bathroom.

I looked at myself in the mirror and almost couldn't tell how old I was. I could pass for forty. It was sickening. My skin was pale, my eyes were sunken in considerably, and even my hair looked duller than usual. We all knew why, but I tried to convince everyone that I was fine. To be honest, I was getting sick. I could feel it. My throat was always scratchy, and my head was always pounding. My stomach was constantly turning and I barely kept down any food. Then again, it might just be one, massive drug high.

I splashed some warm water on my face and reached in the cabinet. I poured out the two white pills from the bottle and popped them in my mouth, taking them back dry.

I shook my head and felt the effects of the medication as it slithered down my throat.

_Thank God for Vicodin. _

I heard a knock on my door and put the pills back. I went to open it and found Carlisle standing there with his hands in his pockets, the perfect picture of cool.

"Hello." He walked in without an invitation.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in this club." I cleared my throat when I heard it crack.

"I had some things to talk to Jasper about and he couldn't leave work so I decided to come here." He walked around. "So this is your office?"

"Yeah. Nothing special." I sat back at my desk. I tried to sneak the bottle of Jack Daniels off of my desk so that he wouldn't see it, but of course there was no defeating his eagle eye.

"Drinking again?" He sat in the chair opposite me.

"I always drink." I shrugged.

"You know what I mean." Carlisle picked up a pen off of my desk and began twirling it easily in his fingers.

"I was thirsty," I replied lamely.

"That's what water's for."

"I needed something… stronger."

He sighed through his nose. "Your mother and I are worried about you."

I rolled my eyes. "Is that the real reason why you're here?"

"You're high, Edward."

I didn't say anything.

"How can you work if you're high?"

"I get my shit done."

"You don't even hear yourself, do you?" He shook his head. "I can barely understand you."

"What are you talking about?" I scoffed.

"Your speech, Edward; it's slurred. What are you on?" He leaned forward.

"Nothing. I'm fine." I stood up. "Is there anything you needed?"

"What happened to you?" Carlisle was still seated, which in some ways was more of a threat to me.

"I said 'I'm fine'. Is there anything you needed?" I repeated.

He sighed again and ran a hand through his golden blonde hair. "You and your brothers have some work to do."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, I need you all to go down to the docks. I have a shipment of weapons coming in." He got out of his chair and straightened out his jacket.

I checked my watch; ten p.m.

"Alright," I groaned, "are they ready?"

"I don't know. I just came to see how you were doing. You look awful." He gave me a disappointed look before leaving the office.

I didn't bother telling him, or anyone for that matter, what happened. I think they knew, but I didn't feel like talking about it, so no one brought it up. They would only make me feel more horrible for what I did.

I took two more Vicodin before fixing myself up and heading out of the door. I walked down the hall feeling the bass reverberate throughout me as it continued to bump downstairs. It was annoying the hell out of me. I went over to Jasper's door and knocked.

"Come in," he said from the other side.

I went in and found him elbow deep in paperwork. Alice was perched on his desk with her legs crossed.

"Oh, I was just wondering if you were ready to go," I said.

"Yeah, give me a second." Jasper wrote furiously.

I stood there for about a minute and felt Alice's eyes as they bore into me from her spot on the desk. I raised my head and was met with her evil glare.

"Is there something you'd like to say to me?" I snipped.

"You're an ass," she spat.

"Can we not do this here?" Jasper didn't bother lifting his eyes from his desk. "I don't have time to break up a fight between you two."

"Tell your brother he's an ass." She hit his shoulder.

"Edward, you're an ass," he said.

"Well, thank you for pointing that out."

"How could you do that to her?" Alice hopped off of the desk.

"I told you that I'm talking about it," I answered through my teeth.

"I still can't believe you." She snatched her purse from the desk and stomped past me, out of the door. I was slightly worried that she would attack with her Taser.

Jasper shook his head and got up as well. "Okay, I'm ready." He grabbed his coat. "And you are an ass."

I didn't bother responding.

He clapped my shoulder, and then I followed him out of the door. We walked through the pulsing club where flirty girls were serving drinks and businessmen were soaking it up. We met Emmett and Alec out in the frozen parking lot. I got in the front seat of Emmett's Hummer, and the thing thundered alive.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?" Alec poked his head up front.

"We have to monitor the shipment of firearms," I replied. "They're coming in from New York."

"Why do they have to be snuck in on a boat?"

"It's easier that way. There's more room to stash them and coast guards are shit with security." Emmett chuckled.

"I just hope no one's slacking tonight. I want to go home," I grumbled.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You're always so bitchy nowadays," Emmett said.

"You know why he's all messed up," Jasper replied.

"What's the problem? You fucked up, you apologized, and she heard you out. Just give her time. That's what you have to do. That's what I had to do."

"You cheated on Rosalie?"

"Well… yeah and it went further than your little adventure did."

"What did you do?" I sat up a little.

"Well, Rose put my ass on blast for at least six months. She didn't even talk to me. I even tried buying her jewelry or some shit like that. It took almost a full year for us to get back on the right track."

"I didn't know about that."

"Because we didn't tell anyone. She was too pissed at me, and I was too ashamed."

"This is turning into some kind of sorority sleepover," I heard Jasper say to Alec in the back.

"Just wait it out," Emmett assured me.

Over the past month, it was more like Emmett had taken pity on me. He wasn't really over the whole "slept with Rosalie" thing, but he wasn't as callous as he used to be. We didn't really talk like we used to, although he wasn't growling at me anymore so I guess that was a good sign.

Somehow, I didn't think what Emmett said would ever come true. Things with Bella wouldn't end up the same way as he and Rosalie.

We arrived at the docks fifteen minutes later, and I jumped out of the car, ready to get to work. My high was providing me with an extra energy that I wanted to use up before it ran out.

There was a seemingly normal yacht that was docked in the more secluded section of the harbor.

"Everyone stay alert, please." I pulled my gun out and had it ready just in case. I could feel something in the cold air that wasn't right.

Emmett let out a whistle that was so loud I thought my eardrum was going to burst. We stood on the docks and waited. A couple of seconds later, a large light flashed up above us on the deck.

"Howdy, Cullens," a robust voice sounded.

"Hiya, Clean." Emmett waved.

The man on the boat jumped onto the docks. He was about as big as Emmett, and all we had ever known him by was "Clean". He was bald and looked like he should be playing football on some NFL team. He had a thick New York accent that I could barely understand. Subtly wasn't necessarily his forte, so we always had to be careful when working with him.

"Haven't seen you boys in a couple months." He shook all our hands. "And I see we have a new kid." He nodded towards Alec.

"He's good stuff." Jasper put an arm over his shoulder.

"Can we get this over with? It's cold and I have things to do," I said, probably hasher than necessary.

"Good ol' Edward," Clean sighed. "I see you haven't changed much."

"No, not really," I replied.

"Okay, so let's get down to business." Clean pulled out his phone and started typing rapidly. "Your father ordered four Lugers, six Mausers, four Beckers, and a couple very impressive sets of grenades."

"Why do we get them in such small batches?" Alec asked me.

"We can't really carry more than that. We would attract too much attention if we hauled crates out of the docks"

He nodded.

"Is that all?" Clean put his phone away.

"I think so. Let's get these puppies off the boat." Emmett clapped his hands.

We spent a good half hour, looking over the guns before we even decided if we wanted to sign off on them or not. It was up to me to deem the shipment "worthy" or not. Clean never did us wrong so it wasn't a problem, and we started to unload the guns from the boat and into the back of Emmett's Hummer.

My high was starting to level off, and I was pretty much coasting of fumes. I couldn't remember when that last time I had eaten, and sleeping wasn't really an option for me anymore.

I was carrying a large bolt action, hunting rifle when I noticed Alec just standing on the docks, not moving.

"Hey, stop slacking," I chastised him.

His forehead was scrunched in thought, and his head was tilted. "Do you hear that?"

"No, what are you talking about?"

"Listen." He tilted his head further.

I copied his movements and stood there for a couple of seconds. I heard the soft hum of a motor in the distance, and I knew exactly what it was.

"Shit," I hissed and ran back towards the Hummer. "We have company."

"What? I thought we were done," Jasper huffed.

By this point, the motor was closer and now, it had separated into three distinct sounds.

"Oh," he said in understanding. "Silencers," he shouted.

I grabbed an assians'M107 riffle and screwed on the silencer.

"What's going on?" Emmett asked.

"Just keep a look out." I grabbed the binoculars from the back and threw them at him.

"I don't understand why we can't just have a peaceful night." He brought them up to his eyes and scanned the dark horizon.

I got on the slick pavement of the docks, cursing whoever it was for getting my Armani suit messed up. This was a dirty job, and I was about to get very dirty.

I set up the tri-pod of the M107 and rested the gun on the three legs, positioning my eye at the scope. I made sure the lighting from the infrared was red and adjusted the measurements to my specifications.

"Who are they?" I asked Emmett.

"Shinobu's shit," he answered. "Yakuza trash."

I heard a lot of quiet shuffling behind me and knew that we were preparing for a battle. That was the only way this could end.

I didn't hear the shot, but I sure felt it as the air around us shifted slightly. A big ass chuck of Clean's boat was taken out right at the hull and created a gigantic hole.

"Bitches, they shot first," Emmett said. "Take 'em out, Ed."

"Make sure you guys are ready when they come on shore." I peeked through the scope and fired a shot. The three boats were still a long ways away, but I could still see the blood as it spurted out of one guy's head.

"They're coming," I muttered and fired again, taking out another one. I was a good shooter; I knew that, but assassin training was taught for precision not speed. I could only kill one every couple of seconds, and by the time they were close enough to shoot at us, it might be too late.

I fired again, this time missing.

"Alright, that's all I can do." I got off of the ground, but stayed hunched over, and I went behind the Hummer, which was providing us with shelter.

"What the hell do they want? Don't they know it won't end well for them?" Jasper rolled his eyes.

"Those bastards sunk my boat," Clean growled, pumping a Becker full of lead. "Just make sure they don't get near me."

I heard the boat motors stall and the loud footsteps of men as they tramped onto the docks.

I ducked under the car, which was high enough that I could see straight across. I pointed my Eagle at the knee cap of a man that I only saw the bottom half of and fired. There wasn't a silencer so there was a loud bang, but it was luckily partially covered up by a foghorn.

He let out a harsh scream and fell to the ground. I looked him in the eye as I fired again, but this time, the bullet ripped through his forehead.

"Put that thing away, Edward." Jasper took the Eagle out of my head. "You're going to attract attention."

"Yeah, because the dead bodies aren't already doing that." I climbed in the car and put together a smaller pistol.

As usual, we all split up to take down our kill. There wasn't much light, but it was just enough to see what was going on. Alec and Jasper ran further down the docks, and I saw some men follow them.

It had been a long time since we had been in a situation like this. I knew that I still had my mojo, so I got down to it.

I gave Emmett an apology in my head before I busted out the back window of his car, which wasn't as easy as it sounds, but it came out after a couple good knocks. Then, I basically just sat in the car and started picking them off one by one.

In Japanese, Yakuza literally meant "violent group", and Shinobu's men were no exception. They were always our rivals when it came to firearms, even though we worked with them extensively. This was a strong knock against them, and when Carlisle found out about their attempts to thwart our business, he was going to flip his lid.

I wasn't paying attention enough—until it was too late—to feel the sting of a hit on my left temple. The butt of a gun was thrust into my head, and I was lucky that I didn't get a concussion. My gun slipped from my hand. I rolled out of the open door and onto the wet ground.

Someone was on top of me and fists were pounding into my face.

I reached up and just grabbed whatever I could, pulling the fucker down. His head hit the pavement next to me, and I flipped over so that I was on top. The man was sputtering at me in Japanese, but it was indistinguishable because I was bashing his skull into the concrete. I felt his blood on my hands, but didn't stop until he stilled underneath me.

I didn't have time to breathe before I was pushed over and felt more weight on my body. This time, I was ready though. I didn't have a gun, so I improvised. I grabbed the first thing on the ground that I could and swung it upwards.

The sound of chains knocking together was loud as it came in contact with a body.

"What the fuck?" the man yelled at me as he charged at me with a metal pipe. There was no way I could block the blow without getting hit, so I just manned up. The velocity that the pipe was traveling at was enough to cause some major damage, which I felt when I heard a crack at my side.

There was nothing like the pain of broken ribs and from what I could tell, I had two.

With that setback behind me, I decided it was time to finish this night up. My arm came down so many times with the metal chains that I almost couldn't feel it. I hit and hit and hit until the guy was on the floor, bleeding profusely, but I didn't stop.

I wrapped the chains around his neck, holding tightly until I felt him start to calm down, although there was a massive hole in his head, so I didn't know how much use he was to the world at this point. His eyes started to bug out and the gurgling sounds of his throat began to get louder as his airway closed off. He stilled a couple of seconds later, and I let him fall limply.

I was out of breath and the pain of my side was causing me to double over against the side of a wall. From what I could hear, things were over. I didn't know what had happened, but I guessed we all made it.

"Are you alright?" Emmett came up to me with blood on his clothes and grime on his skin.

"Yeah. You?"

"Just a broken hand," he answered.

"Two broken ribs." I challenged his injury with mine.

"Damn," he grumbled, "and what happened to my window?"

"Uh… Yakuza fucker."

When all of us reconvened, we found that Jasper was the only one who was seriously hurt. It was just a grazing shot on the top of his right bicep, but Esme and Alice were going to freak the fuck out.

"Just don't tell them," he hissed through his teeth when I tied a tourniquet around his arm.

"Yeah right. That's such a great idea," I replied sarcastically. "Dad needs to call his doctor for you."

"I don't need one." He pushed me off.

"You have big piece of skin missing. It needs to sewn up."

Jasper hopped out of the car. "Let's just clean this mess up so that we can go home."

The cleanup took longer than the actual battle itself. Thankfully, we had Clean, who was an expert at getting rid of evidence.

I didn't ask how.

It always amazed me at how good we Cullens were. We had taken out a whole crew of Yakuza crime groupies without any warning or preparation. I was highly impressed with myself, especially since I was a little high at the moment, but that was beside the point. They should write a book about us, or at least make a movie, because we were tough shit.

We moved all the dead bodies behind a warehouse, in a secluded corner, and doused them all in gasoline before they went up in flames. Alec kept watch as we stood there to make sure that the fire was controlled and didn't spread.

We bleached the blood off of the pavement with a special concoction that came from Clean. I guess that's where he got his name from. After the fires turned to ashes and the bones of the fallen were nothing but smoldering embers, we gathered the rather large pile up and dumped them in the river. Maybe it was divine intervention and God was looking down on us, but as we all limped into the car, a heavy rain started to fall, washing the rest of the evidence away from the crime scene.

I was on the phone with Carlisle the whole way back to Plasma and like I'd thought, he was furious. He couldn't even form coherent sentences at one point, and I figured it would be best to let him stew for a couple of days. He basically pushed me off of the phone so he could make a few calls of his own.

After we got back to the club, we unloaded our haul to the basement where they would be picked up later. Finally, my night was over.

I went upstairs to my office and grabbed my bottle of pills to take for the ache at my side. I didn't know if they would make me feel any better, but I didn't really care. I needed something.

"Where are you off to?" Emmett came into my office when I was putting on my coat.

"Out," I answered and patted myself down to make sure I had my wallet.

"Out as in, where?"

"Out as in out," I snapped and made a move to get past him. He stopped me in the doorway, wrapping his large hand around the exact spot where my ribs were broken.

He gave a squeeze, and I winced.

"You should get that checked out." He grinned.

"I don't need anything but for you to get your hand off of me."

"I hope you're not going to do anything… questionable after the night we just had." He gave my side another squeeze. "Where are you going?"

"The Amber Room," I ground out.

"And how do you think Bella would feel about that?" This time he gripped so hard that I almost heard my ribs crunch as if they were going to break again.

"I don't give a fuck what Bella thinks," I replied truthfully and pushed him off. I darted out of my office before he could grab me again.

I pushed my way through the throngs of people until I felt the piercing cold air of the night. I went into the dark corner of the parking lot and sunk into the Saleen. It came alive and my whole body rumbled from the engine. I was off on the road a couple of seconds later.

I arrive at The Amber Room only fifteen minutes later, probably because I was going about fifty over the speed limit, but no one stopped me.

I moved past the guards and went into the back, sitting in one of the private booths. As soon as my ass hit the comfortable leather of the seat, a girl was at my side with my smile.

"Hi, Edward." She bent over to place a glass of tawny liquid in front of me.

"Hi…" I trailed off because I didn't remember her name.

"What can I get for you tonight?" The girl was dressed in a red corset and thong with heels that looked taller than cinderblocks. That was it.

I shrugged. "Whatever you've got for me."

"Okay." She smirked and came across the table to straddle my waist, sitting on my lap.

My hands went to her hips, and I leaned back in the booth—ignoring the pain in my ribs— and prepared to receive my punishment.

* * *

The sun was beating in through the window and my eyes squinted open painfully. My head was throbbing, and I didn't even want to think about how much damage I had done last night. I couldn't remember how I had gotten in my bed, and most of my night was now a haze in my brain.

I sat up slowly, realizing that my phone was ringing; I reached over to get it.

"Hello." My voice was groggy.

"_Edward, what the hell_?" Emmett screamed. "_We're going in to church and I'm stalling for you. Ma is about to snap my neck in half." _

I looked over at the clock that flashed seven.

"Oh, I don't think I'll make it." I shook my head, still trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"_You better get your shit together. Dad is going to drag your ass here in a second. I told them you'd be here in ten minutes. __You're lucky I didn't let you go home with that stripper. You'd be fucked.__Move!" _he commanded, and the call ended.

I literally fell out of bed, hitting the floor in a heap of sheets. I was naked, and my body felt like it was filled with lead. I couldn't think or see straight.

"Damn it." I hit my head on the floor repeatedly.

I guess I would never know what happened after I got to The Amber Room.

I got up from the floor and stretched my muscles. The ache from my side was throbbing, but I pushed past it and jumped in the shower. I couldn't even spend my normal twenty-seven minutes under the water, which highly annoyed me, but I didn't have time.

I dressed smartly in a suit that had Armani on the tag, but besides that, I couldn't tell you what it looked like. I grabbed my keys and wallet, heading out the door with a swaying head.

On my way to church, I downed a gigantic cup of coffee and balanced the caffeine out with more pills. By the time I arrived at Holy Name, I was high again.

I parked and jumped out of the car, noticing that the doors were closed. Service had probably been going on for fifteen minutes. I walked in confidently and eyes from the more pious members were on me—scolding me—as if they knew about my sinful night I had just woken up from. I sat in my normal spot in front of my parents. Even though I couldn't see them, I could feel their scowls.

Church progressed as usual. I wasn't paying attention and I didn't care. It was almost as if I blinked, and then it was over.

"Edward, get up," my mother ordered from next to me with a steely voice.

I looked up at her and felt my face screw up in confusion.

"You're high; your eyes are red. Thank God you showered, or I'm sure you'd smell horrible," she said in answer to my confusion. "Get up." She pulled me by my collar.

I noticed that the pews were almost cleared and my family was near the entrance of the church, but my mother was pulling me the other way. We went down the hall to the left, our shoes clicking on the floor, and she pushed me in front of the confessional.

"No, absolutely not." I shook my head.

"Edward, you need help. I'm not going to put up with your crap any longer. Father Romana is waiting for you."

"Well, he can keep waiting." I made a move to run, but she stopped me. I saw my father standing near the entrance of the hall, looking at our encounter with parental eyes.

"Edward, I'm not messing around with you." The look on her face was so scary that it sent a shiver up my spine.

"Fuck," I said under my breath and stepped into the booth, crossing myself harshly.

The panel slid back, and I saw the white haired man who had taught me about the Bible since I was five years old. He knew me like the back of his hand, and I didn't want to look at him. Even though he was old, he was one of the hip priests who realized the connection he had with younger patrons. He always listened and never judged.

"May the Lord be in our heart to help you make a good confession," he said softly.

I didn't give the obligatory reply.

"Hello, Edward." His Italian accent was harsh, but caring. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine," I snipped.

"You don't seem fine."

"I don't need or want to be here." I turned towards him.

"Your mother thinks you do."

"She always thinks I need religion."

"What's going on, Edward? Talk to me. I haven't seen you in years. This doesn't have to be anything formal if you don't want it to be."

I sighed heavily, knowing that there was no way I was getting out of this and crossed myself again. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was …" I counted backwards, "… twelve years ago."

"Your last confessional was when you were thirteen?" he asked slowly.

"Yes, I skipped it all through high school." My evil grin widened when I thought about how I would always convince Ashley Martinson to follow me to the basement for a quick fuck. She was eighteen and more than willing to corrupt a young mind like mine.

"Are you ready to dive into your sins?" Father Romana gave a hearty chuckle.

I didn't know what it was, but I couldn't fight it any longer.

And for the first time in a month, I spoke about Bella.

* * *

**HOLY FUCKING OLD EDWARD BATMAN**

**THE GUY IS JUST A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT. HE CAN'T SEEM TO DO RIGHT. SHAME ON HIM**

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR BETA'ING AND THANKS TO ALL YOU READERS WHO REVIEW, ADD ME TO THE STORY ALERTS/FAVS. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME**

**(at)johnnyboy1029 is my twitter name. **

**I'M GOING TO TRY AN UPDATE ON FRIDAY. IT WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN BUT DON'T KILL ME IF IT DOESNT'. AND I PROMISE THIS SEPARATION ISN'T LONG.I CAN'T STAND THEM BROKEN UP. ALL SHALL BE WELL VERY SOON. **


	34. Chapter 33

Valentine's Day Massacre

BELLA POV

_"The death clock is ticking slowly in our breast, and each drop of blood measures its time, and our life is a lingering fever."- Georg Buchner _

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

The pounding on the door was enough to jerk me awake, but it took me a while to blink my eyes open. I didn't know what I was going on, and my body was suddenly freezing from the lack of covers that had just fallen off of the bed.

"What the hell?" I exhaled heavily and looked around. The clock on my nightstand read seven. It was way too early to even be thinking about getting up, especially on a Sunday.

"Bella, wake the hell up." The pounding continued, and I heard Rose's voice from the other side.

I stumbled out of bed and went to open the door.

Rosalie was standing there with a bushel of red roses and a bright smile. "Morning, Sunshine." She stepped into my room.

"What are you doing here?" My voice was raspy.

She was in a hot pink dress that clung to her curves and had a pretty dramatic neckline.

"How the hell did you get up here?" I grumbled.

"I flirted the heck out of the stupid boy downstairs. Your security isn't very good here." She sat on the bed. "I brought you roses." She held them up for me.

I took them and almost wanted to burn the things.

"What are these for?" I bypassed her and got under the covers. I felt her lay down next to me.

"It's Valentine's Day." Rose's face broke out into a rare smile. "It's the day of love."

_Shit!_

I groaned and rolled over, "Go away."

"No, Bella. You have to stop all this mopping. Get up," she commanded.

"I don't mope and I'm not going to church," I deadpanned. I knew that's what she was alluding to.

"You haven't been in over a month, and I'm starting to get worried."

"I don't want to go."

"This is getting really annoying, Bella," she huffed.

"What would you have me do?" I sat up. "He doesn't want to talk to me."

"So force him to sit down and shut up."

This had been our conversation for the past six weeks

Edward and I hadn't seen each other in over a month. I hated to admit that I missed him, but I did. I had come to terms with things in my head. Now that I looked back on it, I realized that I was slightly dramatic back in Forks. I should have told Edward all the things that were going through my head because that would have been the adult thing to do. Didn't adults talk about their problems with each other?

As much as I claimed to be mature, I sometimes forgot that I was still the young eighteen-year-old who shut down easily. I needed to talk to Edward. That was the only way things were going to get better.

I called the first time, two weeks after New Year's. He didn't pick up. I tried again a couple days later, and he didn't pick up then, either. After the fourth time, I quit. I figured he didn't want to speak with me, so I stopped trying. Alice refused to give me any information on how he was doing because she said we were both being stupid. She wasn't going to play "the messenger" as she called it.

From Rose, I got that Edward wasn't doing so well. She didn't know specifics because he didn't really say much nowadays, but everyone could tell that he was hurting. On some level, I blamed myself for that, but I also knew that this wasn't entirely my fault. I was hurt. I just needed to tell Edward that. How was he supposed to know? When I said I needed time, I meant it, but I had cooled and realized that Edward's mistake was forgivable.

I tried to tell myself that he was just thinking things through, but the more I heard from Rose about his downfall, the more I was starting to wonder if he even cared. She told me that he was usually high all the time, and his breath smelled consistently of alcohol.

Edward had to know that what he did was wrong. I couldn't just go running back into his arms and pretend that everything would be alright. That wasn't how it worked, but as much as I tried to fight the pull, I just couldn't any longer.

He had moved all of my stuff back into my dorm, which I took to mean "We definitely need some space". I was kept safe by the hordes of bodyguards who still followed me. The only person I really had any contact with, besides the girls, was Carlisle, surprisingly. I knew why, though. He was keeping tabs on me. I was too close to the family and knew too much to just be set free. He had to make sure that I wasn't spilling secrets, and he instilled the fear of God in me every time he called under the guise of "checking in".

I was starting to wear thin of this and questioned whether or not Edward was even worth it. The answer was always "yes" in my head.

When he asked if we were breaking up back in Forks, I should have given him a solid no, but my mouth wouldn't do it. I needed to think, and there was too much going on to give him a definitive answer. He couldn't just get away with hurting me that way. The immature little girl in me wanted to make him crawl on his knees and beg. I knew Edward was never going to stoop that low, and if he continued down the path that he was going, he could end up dead. I didn't want that, so I was going to have to make the first move.

_But how? _

"Get up," Rose commanded again. "We're going to church and today, you're going to talk to Edward."

"He's being a bitch," I said under my breath.

"Well, so are you. Move it." She ripped the covers off of me, and my body scrunched up in a ball to hide myself from the change in temperature.

"Can't I just call him?" I asked hopefully.

"No, that's not working. He actually asked me if I knew how to make meth yesterday. _Meth, _Bella_,_" she stressed. "That man has no shame. You need to help him."

"Well, why won't he answer my calls?" I got out of bed.

"Because he's an immature child. He doesn't understand that you're the best thing in his life and he's being a stubborn jackass."

"We both are," I said to myself.

"Yes, you're both acting like you're ten years old." Rose started pulling stuff out of the boxes that I still hadn't unpacked. "Emmett cheated on me once."

"Really?" I asked a little too loudly.

"Yup, he sure did, but I loved him enough to forgive the bastard. Now I keep his dick on a leash. That was four years ago." She wickedly smiled.

"But Edward's not like Emmett…"

"You're damned right. Emmett would have already cracked by now. He was begging me to take him back, but Edward isn't that way. You need to be the bigger person. He's so immature." She shook her head and kept going through my clothes.

"Do you think he'll listen to me?"

"He'd better. I'll strap him to a chair. You two are getting on my nerves and I refuse to put up with this any longer." She threw me a dress, and it hit me right in the face. "We're going to church. He can't escape there."

Never one to mince words, Rose kept muttering and reprimanding me while I got dressed in a simple, navy blue dress that was casual and still acceptable for church. It had been so long since I went that it almost felt like my first time.

I was whipped into shape by a very demanding Rosalie, who slapped some makeup on my face, put me in some heels and threw a coat over my body. We were already running late, and she basically dragged me out of the door. I had no strength to fight her.

We hailed a cab and sped away to church.

"I don't know what to say to him," I sighed and looked out of the window.

"How about you tell him to shut the fuck up and start acting like a grown up? I'm going to strangle the both of you because frankly, I don't really know what the problem is."

"How can I trust him again?"

"Oh, get over yourself." She rolled her eyes. "I don't care how you do it; just get him off my back."

"So, basically, this is all about you?" I half-laughed.

"Exactly." She sat back, and we rode the rest of the way in silence.

As much as she acted like she didn't care, Rose was more of a lover than she wanted to admit. She liked the little family dynamic that we had and with Edward and I messed up, her world wasn't the same.

We arrived at the massive church fifteen minutes later, and she pulled me out of the cab quickly. We were running extremely late now. We went inside, but instead of going straight through the oak doors to the bottom level of the sanctuary, Rose started pulling me down another hall.

"Where are we going?" I asked as she started up the stairs.

"To the second floor. I can't have you starting a fight with him in church. I'm keeping you two separate until we get outside."

There was a whole new world up on the second level of the church. It was almost as big as the floor below, and I was slightly worried that it was going to collapse underneath the weight of all the people that were sitting up here. There were rows filled with nicely dressed people, and they all looked at us as Rose and I walked right up to the front, basically leaning over the banister.

"Hey, move," Rosalie snapped at three teenage girls who were sitting in the first row.

"No, we were here first," she snippily huffed.

"Look, little girl, I don't have time to rip your hair out right now so just scoot down," she whispered back harshly.

Instead of waiting for an answer, Rose pushed me down into the seat, forcing the girls to move down. By the time we were all situated, I was right in the center of the church and in the first row of the balcony. I felt very self-conscious for some reason but bucked up.

My eyes grazed the crowd below, and I found the Cullens in their normal spot, right near the podium.

The back of Edward's head was just as I remembered it; full of bronze locks that were actually shining in the lights of the church. How he did that, I will never know. He was on the end of the pew, next to Alice, and he was leaning so that he almost looked asleep. His shoulders were hunched slightly, but I could tell that he was fidgeting in his seat.

A couple minutes after we sat down, Emmett shifted in his seat and awkwardly twisted his head up to the balcony. When he saw that I was looking at him, he stupidly waved. That caught the attention of Jasper, who turned around; which then caught the attention of Alec, who also turned around. It was like a domino effect of embarrassment.

I prayed that they would just look back up front, which they did, but their heads would turn to gaze back up every couple of seconds. I guess this made Carlisle and Esme suspicious, because they were soon turning around. Esme smiled widely and almost jumped out of her seat. She waved frantically, and I half-waved back.

"Oh my God." I sunk into my seat and tried to cover my face.

"Sorry, he's just a stupid ass," Rose whispered to me.

"This was a bad idea."

Thankfully, Edward didn't either seem to notice or care. He stayed with his shoulders hunched for the entire service.

I didn't notice it before, but now that I was sitting under the microscope of the Cullens, I suddenly had to pee… very badly. I held it in for a long time and tapped my foot on the floor as I tried to think about something—anything besides water or toilets.

_You should have gone before we left the house. _

My mother's words were echoing in my head, and I used the service to distract myself. We were almost done, but I really had to go. There was a row of Bibles that were lined up on a small ledge of the balcony. I actually read one of them to keep my mind off of things.

"What is wrong with you?" Rosalie leaned over and spoke in my ear.

"I have to use the bathroom," I whimpered.

"What are you, five?"

"I know, I know. I'm going to hold it, though. I can make it," I said assuredly.

"Just go, but don't leave or I'll chase after you. I mean it, Bella." She pointed at me.

"I promise." I tried to get up gracefully, but of course, that wasn't an option with me.

I stood up, and my arm hit the Bible in front of me. I cursed in my head as I watched the book fall to the first floor below. It was almost happening in slow motion, and I wanted to jump down there to grab it. The Bible kept sinking lower and hit the red, carpeted floor with a loud smack. The sound ricocheted loudly off of the walls in the hallowed halls.

I was frozen upright in my spot as every single pair of eyes in the church turned to me. All the heads from the first floor look up to see what had caused such a loud racket. Even the priest stopped preaching and sought me out.

My breathing was coming out in short spurts, and I felt the heat of my blush rise to my cheeks like fire.

"Sorry," I said to no one; it was so soft that even I almost didn't hear it.

I didn't want to, but I couldn't help look towards the Cullens.

Edward was staring at me with wide green irises and a slightly opened mouth. Even from here, I could tell how strung out he was. He awkwardly stood up in front of everyone, and we were suddenly the two focuses of the church service.

"Uh… Mr. Cullen," The priest brought my attention back to reality, "is there something you need?"

Edward looked like he was trying to say something to me, but I knew I wouldn't be able to hear him. He reluctantly turned around and sat back down.

I took the small time of confusion to grab my coat and run out of the balcony, down the stairs and into the lobby of the church.

I leaned against the wall in a secluded hallway, trying to get my breathing right again.

The first time I had seen him in a month and a half, and I had to make a scene like that?

_Geez, Bella. What the hell is wrong with you? _

Then I remembered that I had to use the bathroom and raced to find it.

After I was done, I just sat in the lobby for church to get out. There was nothing in the world that would make me go back in there. When the first groups of people started to come out, I hid my face so that they wouldn't see me.

"Bella, I'm so glad you came." I felt arms wrap around me and smelled Esme's sweet scent in my nose. "It's been so long since I've seen you. How are you?"

"Good and you?"

"I'm fine. You'll have to wait for Edward. He's in confessional." She nodded behind her.

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he's working through some things," Esme explained.

I was about to say something but got wrapped up in beefy arms as Emmett lifted me off of my seat.

"Thank God. He's been such a bitch." He spun me around.

"Emmett, language," Esme scolded.

"Oops, forgot we were in church." He set me down and crossed himself.

"It's good to see you, Bella." Carlisle smiled at me.

"You too, sir."

He never corrected me if I called him "sir". I liked that.

"I'll take it that you're here to straighten my boy out?"

"That's the plan. We've both had if kind of rough lately."

"Well, get to it. We miss the changed Edward." Jasper gave me a hug.

They all left me alone in the lobby. It was starting to thin out and after a minute or two, I was the only one around. I held my head in my hands, trying to work out my thoughts.

"Bella, is that you?" I heard Edward's voice, but it was deeper than I remembered.

I stood up too quickly and almost fell over, catching myself on the wall.

"Oh, hi," I replied lamely.

Edward didn't even look the same. His eyes were sunken in, and he looked as if he'd aged maybe ten years. His eyes looked lifeless, and I would guess that he had lost a considerable amount of weight.

I couldn't help myself; my hand reached out to touch his stubbly jaw. "What happened to you?"

"I… I don't know," he answered dryly. "What are you doing here?"

I decided not to acknowledge that question. We would get to that later.

"Why do you look so sick?" I took a chance and cupped his face with both of my hands. He hadn't pushed me away yet so I took that as a good sign.

"I don't look sick." He closed his eyes. "It's good to see you."

"Edward, are you high?"

"Probably, I can't remember," he said truthfully.

I could smell the vodka on his breath. I had turned him into a full blown addict. I wanted to cry.

"Why didn't you answer my calls?" I sat him down on the bench that had been sitting on earlier.

"I didn't have anything to say. I already said my peace back in Forks." He shrugged. "I meant everything I told you, but that's all I could come up with. I knew you wanted more."

"I was calling to tell you that I forgive you." I hung my head. "You made a mistake and I realize that. You just hurt me. I need time to think."

"That's what I figured. I am sorry." He spoke sincerely, but firmly. "Once I realized what I was doing, I stopped kissing her."

"You said you liked it." I cringed.

Edward nodded. "Bella, I was messed up. I know I've done some stupid stuff, but I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," I sighed heavily. "I didn't mean to be so dramatic."

"I deserved it," he nervously chuckled.

"I want to make you beg for forgiveness," I told him truthfully. "I really want to drag your ass through the mud."

"Please do."

"I can't, but… how can I know that you won't do anything like that again?"

He bit his bottom lip in thought, almost like I did frequently. "I don't know. After I met you, I used to think that I couldn't do that because truthfully, you're all I needed. But I don't think I can trust myself anymore. I'm thinking about going to rehab."

"That… would be good," I said slowly, trying to digest it.

"I won't, because I don't have that time, but…" he trailed off.

"Are you that bad?" I moved some hair out of his face.

"I just needed something," was his wonderful answer.

"You're going to kill yourself."

"I've been dead this past month."

"That's a little dramatic." I almost laughed.

He half smiled. "I know, but it's how I felt. I truly am sorry."

I nodded and wanted to kiss him so badly.

"I know you are. I think we could apologize to each other for years so… can we just start over?" I said hopefully.

"I would like that," he said without moving.

I took his hand. It flinched away from me, but he settled when I tried again.

"I know we have a lot to talk about and growing to do, but I would like to do it together." My line was cheesy, but I had to say it. He needed to know.

He nodded assuredly. "Can we just… enjoy today and then work on everything later."

"Okay, but I want to say this. You have problems, Edward," I told him straightforwardly. "To be honest, I should leave your ass right here and go find someone who is actually worth it."

He looked at me fearfully for the first time.

"I just can't." I hung my head. "I can't just let you go. That might make me weak or whatever, but… I've grown up. Of course I have a long way to go, but at least I'm trying."

"I'm too…"

"No, you're not, Edward. You went back to the same old guy who I first met. This isn't you. You need to grow up. I'm not trying to change you or anything, but I can't just let you live like this. I will leave you if you don't get help for yourself," I vowed and as much as it killed me to say that, it was true.

He didn't say anything for a long while. I could almost see the gears in his head turning.

Edward finally nodded. "You're right. I'm not worthy to even be sitting here, and I promise I'll try."

"Well, you need to try harder. I know I'm sounding like Esme, but I'm trying to help the both of us. That doesn't mean you have to go 'soft'." I put my words in quotations.

"I'm killing us, aren't I?" he asked and pulled at his hair.

"Yes," I answered. "It's not all your fault, but… if you keep down this same path, I don't know how much longer I can stick around."

He let out a deep breath that I felt hadn't been released since Forks.

"If you ever look at another woman again, I will chop off your penis and feed it to a bird." I couldn't stop the words from coming out.

Edward looked at me for a second before he started clutching his stomach in laughter. He was out of breath for a couple minutes.

"That's not funny." I tried to fight my own laughter.

"I just never thought I'd hear that coming out of your mouth."

"I never thought I'd be in this situation." I rolled my eyes.

He calmed down and breathed normally. "I should have been using our separation to get better."

"I really wanted to even the score," I confessed. "I wanted to go out and kiss whoever I could, just to make you jealous."

Edward's eyes darkened, but he didn't say anything.

"I could have done it and made you feel so bad, but I didn't."

"I know I don't deserve that. I thought I slept with someone two weeks ago. Emmett didn't let me though."

"Would you have?" I asked. Maybe I was a glutton for punishment.

"I hope not," he sighed. "I wouldn't want to do that to you again."

"You're digging yourself into a deeper hole, Edward." I tried not to get mad again.

"I know, and I'm sorry."

We sat on the bench for a little while longer, not saying anything but soaking up what we had just admitted to each other.

"Do you still love me?" I asked.

"Of course," he answered immediately, without thought or question. "Do you still love me?"

"I shouldn't, but I do. I can't help it," I said pathetically.

"Me too."

"I don't mean to sound egotistical, but it's obvious that you can't function without me."

"I'm functioning," he argued.

"No, you're not."

He didn't have anything to shoot back, so he just wrung his hands together.

"Would you like to come to dinner?" Edward asked shyly.

"Yes."

"And… we'll talk about living situations later?"

"You moved me out. I don't think there's much to talk about."

"I didn't think you wanted to see me, but… I still want you to stay with me… for your safety."

"For my safety?"

"And…" His lips moved, but I couldn't hear any words. I knew what he wanted to say, though. I just needed to hear him say it.

"What was that?" I asked.

He grumbled again.

"I can't hear you, Edward."

"I said, 'I like being close to you'," he whispered.

That brought a smile to my face.

"That's good to hear. Anything happen in your world since I left?"

"A lot. We're cracking down on Aro and he doesn't like it. I had an altercation with Felix the other day."

"Did you get hurt?"

"No. It was nothing." Edward leaned back in his seat.

"Are you high?" I asked again for I think the third time today.

"Probably."

I started to pat him down.

"What are you doing?" He held his hands up.

"If you can't go to rehab, we'll do it the old fashioned way." I found the bottle of pills in his coat pocket and a pack of cigarettes in his other pocket. "Let's go."

I stood up and threw them both away in the trashcan near the door.

"Bella, I needed those." He got up and smoothed out his clothes.

"No, you don't." I took his hand and led him outside.

"Finally, we've been waiting for hours," Emmett shouted from across the street. "Let's go."

Edward stopped me. "Wait, hold on."

"What?"

"Can I kiss you?" He leaned in close to my face.

"Please."

His lips were strong against mine. He didn't bother with easing me into anything as he took control of my mouth with a force that was almost painful, but the discomfort didn't bother me. I needed it. I craved every inch of his being and needed to be closer to him so I moved my arms to encircle his neck.

I felt the smirk without even opening my eyes; his tongue worked wonders on my mouth. A throaty moan unintentionally escaped me, but I couldn't have helped it if I'd tried. That familiar tingle was shooting between my legs again.

I was on my way to defiling Edward on the steps of Holy Name Cathedral.

Good thing someone stopped me.

"I don't mean to break up the love fest, but the Massacre is about to begin." Emmett poked his head in between Edward's and my conjoined ones.

"Go away," Edward growled, not releasing my lips.

"No, we have things to do." Emmett pulled us apart.

It was in those two seconds that everything just went back to normal. It was strange. The past month seemed like nothing. Like Edward requested, we would talk about everything else later.

"Emmett, you are quite possibly the most insufferable person I have ever met." Edward moved past him to my side. "I don't want to play that stupid game."

"What's going on?" I asked as the rest of the family came from across the street.

"It's Valentine's Day," Jasper said, like I was supposed to know what that meant.

"Okay…" I drawled out.

"Every year, the family has a massive hockey game," Esme explained, hooking her arm in mine. "It's just an excuse for them to use up their testosterone and Carlisle is just sadistic enough to have it on Valentine's Day."

"Oh," I replied.

Edward pulled me aside. "We don't have to go. We can… I don't know, do whatever you want."

"No, no. This is your family time. Do you play?" I asked. The mental image of Edward as a hockey player was suddenly my first priority.

"Usually. It's a good way to get out my anger," he answered shyly, as if he was ashamed.

"Well then, we can go," I assured him.

"Would… you like to ride with me?"

"This isn't our first date, Edward." I tried not to laugh at his uneasiness.

"I know, but I feel like I have to watch myself. I don't want to say anything that might upset you."

I didn't really know what to say to him. He was right. We were both going to have to watch our tempers for a while.

Instead of speaking, I took his hand, and we walked to the parking lot. He opened my door of the Saleen, which I saw he brought out of commission, and then started the car with a roar when he'd slipped in the driver's seat.

I didn't know where we were going, but I didn't ask questions, and the ride was silent. To ease our awkwardness, Edward played the soft sounds of an old Frank Sinatra record. I leaned back in my seat and breathed in his scent that wafted through the car.

Since I was woken up so early in the morning, I was kind of tired. The car lulled me to sleep, and before I knew it, I'd fallen into darkness.

I couldn't tell you how much time had passed, but it felt like hours.

"Bella," I heard Edward's voice and something poke my side. "Bella, we're here."

I pried my eyes open and saw that we were in a parking lot in front of a massive rec center.

"Sorry." I sat up and stretched.

"Did you not get enough sleep last night?" he asked, almost worriedly.

"I just woke up too early this morning." I cracked my neck. By the look of him, I could tell that he wasn't sleeping that well anymore, so I didn't bother asking about his night.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want."

I looked over to Emmett who had his gear ready and tapping his foot impatiently.

"I think he might have something to say if you didn't play." I opened my car door and Edward followed.

We went to the trunk and he pulled out a large duffle bag. I don't know how it fit, but there was a hockey stick in the back as well.

"Do you know how to play?" I asked. "Isn't hockey supposed to be kind of dangerous?"

He chuckled, "Bella, I know how to play everything."

Not wanting to be away from his touch any longer, I took his hand as we began walking towards Emmett.

"Can I talk to you for a second, Bella?" he asked.

"Uh… sure," I replied. "Talk."

"Alone." He looked at Edward.

They both scowled at each other for a second and had a silent conversation between themselves.

"I'll be inside." Edward awkwardly leaned in to kiss my lips but pulled back and settled for the top of my head. I wouldn't have even noticed it if I wasn't paying attention. He left Emmett and me out in the cold parking lot alone.

"Am I in trouble?" I joked.

Emmett loudly laughed. "No, I just had some things to say."

"Okay, I'm listening." I shifted my feet.

"I don't know if Edward told you, but a couple weeks ago, he went to a strip club. He almost went home with some girl, but I wouldn't let him. He was too high to remember anything."

I was surprised that Emmett would say anything about that, but I'm glad he did.

"Well, thank you for telling me. Edward mentioned something, but I told him we would talk about it later."

"I just didn't want you two to get off on the wrong foot again. I like you too much for that." He wrapped a massive arm around my shoulders.

"I like you too." I tried to walk under the weight, but it was too much. "I'm going to need your help. Edward is sick and you know what I'm talking about," I hurried when I saw him start to protest. "I need you to watch him when I can't be around him. No more drugs and for the time being, alcohol."

"Finally, someone's taking action. Dad tried to get him some help, but after a couple years with no luck, he gave up. Edward's a big boy, but I'm glad you're kicking his ass."

"I want him to be healthy," I admitted as we went into the warm gym.

"We all do. Another thing while I have you." He stopped walking. "Don't just take his ass back. Make him work for it."

"Aren't you supposed to be an advocate for our reconciliation?" I grinned.

"Oh, I am. I'm your biggest supporter, but that doesn't mean he just gets to get off scot-free. He's never been held accountable for anything in his life… until now." Emmett smirked that famous Cullen smirk on his way down the hall towards the locker rooms.

I would have to get to that line of thinking later.

I followed the signs until I found the large ice rink that was situated in the middle of the building, which was empty. My guess would be that Carlisle rented the place out.

"Bella, over here!" Alice shouted up in the red, comfortable looking chairs. She was about half way up with some other people from the family, and I climbed the stairs to join them.

I sat in between her and Rose after I said "hi" to some of Edward's aunts and cousins, who were also there. We were the only ones in the rink.

"This is my favorite day of the year." Rose got situated as I took my coat off.

"Why?" I asked.

"Sweaty hockey players and lots of hitting." She shuddered. "Afterward, Emmett is always ready for a couple rounds of hot sex and I'm in no position to deny him. I can't wait."

Alice and I looked at each other for a second but didn't say anything. If we fueled Rose's lustful thoughts, she would go on forever.

"So, have you and Edward talked?" Alice asked.

"About some things, but there's more to figure out." I shrugged.

"I'm just happy you're back together. You are back together aren't you?" Rose turned to me.

"I would think so."

"Things between you two just happen so seamlessly." Alice sighed. "That's what I like about you two. There's drama, you're both feisty, but at the end of the day, you both love each other enough to shut up and handle things. I can't wait for the wedding."

Rose laughed and choked on some water she was drinking. She acted like it didn't happen and went back to her drinking. I think I heard a "yeah right" from her, but I couldn't be sure.

Our conversation was suddenly cut off by the sounds of skates cutting over freshly frozen ice, and I realized why this was Rose's favorite day of the year.

Edward—along with some guys from the rest of the family but mostly Edward—was skating around in bulked up, padded jerseys. Of course, with me being from Washington, I had seen ice hockey games before, but nothing like this.

Edward didn't have on a helmet and his hair was in more of disarray than normal. His jersey was black and with "Cullen" across the back.

I unconsciously licked my lips and shifted in my seat.

"Why I have I never seen this before?" I said to Rosalie in a daze as I watched them all skate around, practicing shots.

"Stop talking." She didn't even bother answering me.

On one team was Edward, Emmett, Jasper, Alec, Carlisle, and a cousin of theirs who I had met, but couldn't remember his name. The other team was six more uncles and cousins.

They warmed up for about half an hour, stretching—which was glorious— and doing other drills. By the time the game was ready to start, Edward was deliciously sweaty and his hair was faintly wet.

I couldn't even look at him fully, or I was going to charge the ice and take him into the locker rooms. A month and a half without him was enough to get my brain going in that naughty direction.

Right before the game started, Edward sought me out with his eyes and grinned when he saw me looking. I waved and he waved back with a hockey glove covered hand.

"Don't let those thoughts get too dirty," Alice whispered to me. "It is Sunday after all."

"Shut up." I shoved her. "You can't tell me that this isn't insanely hot." I pointed to the ice where the teams were splitting up, getting ready to start.

"Oh, I know. Jasper wore his jersey last night." She sighed in remembrance. "The best night of my life."

"I can't wait to get home." We all turned around and looked at Esme with wide eyes when she spoke. "What? I'm old, not dead."

The game began, and if there hadn't been a partition separating us from the ice, I'm sure all of us in the bleachers would have stormed the players. I had never seen hockey played this way before. It was raw and animalistic, while being completely hot.

It seemed that the Cullen men were just amazing at everything; they played like professionals. My lips were permanently chapped from licking them in the cold so much. I couldn't help it. I didn't really know the positions because I wasn't an avid fan of hockey, but Edward was always racing after the puck like a madman.

Alec served as a pretty good goalie, only letting one goal in throughout the whole game.

By the time the game ended, the score was in favor of Edward's team and they were up by three. The final horn blared, and the ice was filled with manly grunts and hollers. It was almost too much for me to take when Edward pulled off his helmet and his hair was matted over his face like he had just stepped out of the shower.

"Sweet Lord," I sighed and couldn't take my eyes off of him.

"Told you." Rosalie grinned.

We all went outside to wait for them to change, and I stood near Edward's Saleen, running my hand over the red paint.

"Are you coming to dinner, Bella?" Esme asked from Carlisle's car.

"Yes, I think so."

"Good, I'll make sure to set a place for you." She smiled and pulled the car up so she could get Carlisle, who was just coming out.

He was followed by Alec, who got in Jasper's car, and then Emmett. Jasper and Edward came out at the same time. They split up and Edward walked over to me, still in his jersey but had one some sneakers.

"You could have come into the locker rooms to get the key instead of standing in the cold." He went around the back to put his stuff away.

"It's fine." I looked him up and down, licking my lips once again.

_Damn it. _

"Bella," Edward called my attention back.

"Yeah… what did you say?" I felt my teeth sink into my bottom lip.

"I asked if you got my flowers this morning?" he chuckled.

"What flowers?"

"The roses. I gave them to Rosalie so she could drop them off, but I guess she took that to mean drag you to church."

"Those were from you?" I couldn't stop the smile on my face.

Edward nodded. "I just didn't want you to feel like complete shit on Valentine's."

I stood on my tip toes and placed my mouth on his chastely. He was still for a second before he responded slowly.

"I love you." Edward's voice was a whisper in between our kisses.

Him saying that—especially right now, with all the shit that we had put up with from each other—meant more than any inferior words or kiss ever could.

* * *

**HOLY RECONCILIATION BATMAN**

**THOSE TWO COULDN'T STAY AWAY FROM EACH OTHER FOR LONG. **

**I TOLD YOU IT WOULDN'T BE DRAGGED OUT FOR LONG. **

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR THE BETA'ING**

**AND THANKS TO ALL THE READERS WHO KEEP COMING BACK TO REVIEW, ADD TO FAVS, ETC. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME. **

**NEXT TUESDAY'S CHAPTER IS TENTATIVE. NOT SURE IF IT WILL HAPPEN, BUT I'LL TRY TO GET IT OUT FOR YA. **

(at)johnnyboy1029 **IS WHERE IM AT ON TWITTER. YOU'LL GET INFO ON CHAPTER UPDATES OVER THERE. **

**HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.  
**


	35. Chapter 34

Meeting of the Minds

EDWARD POV

_"Blood's not thicker than money."-__Groucho Marx_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I stood under the water on minute eighteen of my shower and let out a deep breath of relaxation. I was going to need it today.

I kept my mind clear and did my morning meditations that Bella was forcing me to try. She said I had to work on my temper, which was obvious, but I didn't think I need some Zen master classes to teach me how to live a peaceful life. It didn't really matter what I thought, though, Bella was having me read an ancient Chinese book that was supposed to improve my life through meditation. I told her I would try it out for a week.

With my track record, I was willing to do anything to get back in her good graces.

It had been two weeks since our "reconciliation", and I was basically doing everything I could think of to show Bella how much I cared for her. I made a mistake and couldn't ever take that back, but I was going to try my hardest to convey just what she meant to me. I know that sounds incredibly pussy-whipped, but I couldn't help it. What else was I supposed to do?

Bella and I were seeing a therapist. Granted it was only one of my father's friends, who thought he had the right to dive into our lives, but he got us talking. That was helpful. I didn't really say much, but I did listen and was told that was the main goal in all of this. We quickly found out that the crack we had just repaired went deeper than a forbidden kiss on the beach.

Bella was watching me like a hawk after the whole "kiss-in-Bermuda" thing, and then the "almost-slept-with-stripper thing". I would probably be making up for those mistakes for a while, but I would do anything she asked—as long as we were together—because she was right: I wasn't a functioning human without her.

I had been fully clean for two weeks. I wasn't addicted to shit, so it didn't take long for the feelings of my permanent high to wear off. I hadn't had one hit, one pill, one blow, or one drink. Like I said, Bella was watching. She was always watching. I wasn't even allowed to have a fucking cigarette.

Surprisingly, the meditation helped curb the tingles I sometimes got in the back of my throat for something smoky.

I counted down the seconds in my head until minute twenty-seven was upon me, and then shut off the water. I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist, heading to the fogged up mirror. Once I wiped all the condensation off, I could see my reflection.

I looked healthy; just another indication that Bella worked wonders on me. There wasn't even a doubt in my mind.

Behind me, I could see Bella standing in the reflection with a small smile on her face.

"Hi," she said.

"Good morning," I replied.

"You're up early." She stretched.

"It's Saturday. I'm always up early on Saturday." I got my shaving stuff out and filled the sink with warm water.

Bella still refused to move back in, because she said we weren't ready. I understood that so I didn't push her, but I was keeping a close eye on her dorm. No one was getting in there without me knowing. I even installed a secret camera on her floor, with the perfect positioning to see her door. No one knew about that, not even Bella. It was just safer that way. She would stay over a couple nights a week, but she tried to split her time between my penthouse and the dorms.

"I heard you have some… giant mob meeting today." She came up behind me and kissed my naked back.

"The yearly meeting of the minds," I sighed and smeared shaving cream on my face.

"Why don't you use a dry razor?" Bella asked suddenly.

"Shaving cream gets a smoother finish. Plus do you know how much bacteria electronic razors have? Those things are disgusting."

Bella watched me in the mirror as I made the first swipe down the side of my face. I continued to cleanly shave my face with Bella watching for a couple of minutes.

"Can I try?" she asked when I was halfway finished.

"Uh…sure." I handed her the razor. "Don't cut me."

"I know what to do." She jumped on the counter and sat in front of me. "Don't move."

I raised my head so that she could make a fresh swipe on my neck. Bella's soft touch almost made the razor glide over my skin without feeling, and when she rinsed it in the sink, I was actually surprised that she had done anything.

"So, back to this meeting of the minds thing. What is it?" she asked and continued with her light mechanically movements.

"Well, it's basically just a chance for all the mob families in the area to get together and agree on territories, rules; things like that for the year."

"A men's club," Bella giggled.

"Yeah, but we get a lot done if we all keep our cool."

"Does it ever get violent?" she asked worriedly.

"Not for me." I shrugged. "I've never had a problem but a couple years ago, Emmett got punched in the face."

"You better not come home beaten and bruised."

"I'll do my best."

I didn't even realize that Bella was done with my shave until she ran a warm washcloth over my face.

"All done." She jumped off of the counter.

"Not bad, Swan." I appraised her work in the mirror.

"That's barber quality," she argued. "I should get paid for that."

"I'll send you Emmett and Jasper if when it's time for their tune ups." I began to walk out of the bathroom, but Bella stopped me.

"I didn't get my kiss this morning," she almost pouted.

"Oh, forgive me," I chuckled and bent my head down to take her lips in mine.

Kissing was all we had done in regards to intimacy. Our "therapist" said we needed to build without a physical attraction. That was complete bullshit in my book, but I stayed true to his requests. I hadn't even so much as looked at anyone—let alone a woman—other than Bella. She owned my ass.

After our good morning kiss, I left her in the bathroom to get dressed.

The annual meeting of the mob kings, as I liked to call it, was almost like a family reunion for us in the underworld. It always amazed me at how we could all come together and have a civilized conference of sorts, but as soon as we left the room, real world came rushing back. Of course, we weren't always so feisty, but this was a meeting to set up the crime regulations for the next year in Chicago. Territories were decided, business relationships were set up, and the drug alliances were laid out.

If you wanted something, you had to fight for it.

That's where things got dicey. None of us had the best tempers, and we would make our voices heard. There was no doubt that this meeting would be heated.

I dressed in a new Armani suit that was charcoal gray and slimmed me down. Underneath it was a pressed white shirt and a black tie. My shoes were polished, and my gold cufflinks were almost overly shined.

I tried running a comb through my hair, and it actually tamed.

As I walked down the stairs, I got a whiff of the amazing smells of breakfast, and my stomach suddenly started growling. I found Bella at the stove cooking eggs, and there was a faint smell of the steak that we had last night for dinner.

"I made you some coffee, too." She pointed to the pot on the counter.

"Thank you," I sighed, getting the biggest cup out of the cabinet.

"We have a therapy session tonight; don't be late." She jabbed me with a spatula and gave me that _look_.

"Don't you think it's time to give up on this whole therapy thing?" I asked hopefully.

"No, we haven't even started. We have issues, Edward." Bella gave me a goofy smile. "We're insane."

"I'm not insane," I argued. "But he's… so weird."

"Eleazar is one of your father's friends, and he knows what he's doing. We wouldn't have to go if you would just talk to me." She divided the eggs between two plates, and then pulled the steaks out of the oven.

"I do talk to you, or at least, I'm trying."

"Well, try harder. You barely speak about what happened in Bermuda."

"Because you don't want to hear that."

"Yes, I do." Bella set the plates down at the table, and we both at down to eat.

"Eleazar is a joke. He dropped out of Harvard after he got arrested and didn't even graduate. He's a quack."

"Well, you have to admit that we're not the easiest patients to deal with. You better be there."

I groaned, "Don't worry, I'll be there."

A satisfied grin appeared on her lips. "When is this meeting supposed to be finished?"

I stabbed a piece of steak with my fork. "I don't know. It always changes. Two years ago, it took us a whole week to sort things out, but last year, we did it in a couple of hours. I'll call you, though."

"I'll be here. I'm reorganizing your DVD collection, and I have a couple tests to study for."

The first part of her statement brought a cringe up my spine. "My DVDs don't need reorganizing."

"They do since last night. Alec knocked the bookshelf down when you went to work out."

My teeth gritted together and my hand clenched. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I am telling you." She shrugged. "I'll make it perfect. Just like you had it."

I closed my eyes and did my mediation exercises. "I don't want to see it or hear about it." I went back to eating.

"That's why I didn't tell you."

"Can we change the subject?"

"Sure." She placed a clear cup on the table. "I need you to pee in that."

My eyes slightly widened. "Bella, I'm not peeing in anything besides a toilet."

"I have to make sure that you're clean. Emmett's going to take it to the doctor."

"I'm clean," I insisted and handed her back the plastic container.

She grinned evilly. "Nope, it has to be medically proven."

"You're loving this, aren't you?"

"It is kind of funny. I told you I'd be your rehab. Before you leave, I need pee."

"That sounds dirty," I chuckled.

"Only because you have a dirty mind." Bella leaned over the table and gave me a short kiss that tasted like our breakfast. It was incredibly tantalizing.

My phone suddenly started vibrating, shaking the table and interrupting us.

"Damn…" I mumbled and broke our kiss. I fumbled around to reach for my phone without looking and picked up. "Hello."

"_It's time to go,"_ Alec replied. _"Dad just wanted me to call and make sure you were up." _

"I'll be there." I got up from the table. "I'm leaving now."

I went to get my coat and started for the door, but Bella was standing there with the cup in her hand. She had a raised eyebrow and the look that told me "you're not going anywhere".

"_Hurry up. We're not going to stall for you if you're not there on time," _Alec said.

"I said I would be there." I snapped my phone shut. "Bella, I don't have time for this."

"I need your pee. I told you that I was serious about this."

"As much as I admire your unyielding determination, I have to go." I tried to move past her, but she stood firm.

"Just unzip and pee." She pushed me, and I stumbled backwards into the wall.

This situation was too funny. I would've laughed, if I had the time for that.

"I have to go." I pulled her hand away from my belt buckle.

Bella now had a smirk on her face that could rival mine. "No, I'm trying to make you healthy so pee." Her hands moved quickly over my belt and unbuttoned my pants, pushing them down my legs so that they pooled at my ankles.

"This could turn very dangerous." I gaped at her boldness.

Her lips crept up my neck to my chin and finally to my lips. "You wish."

"Damn…" My eyes rolled in the back of my head from our closeness.

"Go pee, Edward." Bella backed away and shoved me towards the bathroom with the cup in my hand.

"You are one horrible tease." I waddled away with my pants still around my ankles and didn't even bother pulling them up.

I did what I had to do and fixed my suit, making sure I didn't look as ridiculous as I felt. I reemerged and Bella held out her hand at the front door, rising on her toes to kiss me.

"Thank you and I promise that you'll be rewarded."

"I better be," I mumbled.

"If this test isn't negative, you'll be in a steep pile of shit." Her tone changed. "I mean it."

"Can I go now, Warden?" I chuckled.

She nodded. "Play nice with the other mafia princes."

"I'll call you when we're done." I left the penthouse and got into the elevator.

The whole time I was going down to the parking lot, Jasper was texting me to move my ass faster. They were already there and waiting.

I jumped into the Saleen and roared out of the building, getting into traffic with a little too much gusto. There were some car honks or whatever, but they weren't my problem.

The annual meeting was held every year in a mansion that was outside of the city. If it was even possible, the house was bigger than my parent's. It was one of those old, historic homes that was built at the turn of the century and probably cost more than even I was willing to pay. The mansion belonged to Dirk Misser. He was an ancient oil tycoon, who had had dealings in the underground before any of the other established families did.

He was older now—too old to get out of bed—and his grandson was running things. Coincidentally, his name was Dirk as well.

I continued to drive speedily, past the buildings of Chicago to the outer suburbs. I saw my parent's house on the left and sped up until I was a couple streets over. The Misser mansion was a few minutes away, and I slowed down at the gates, which magically opened when I got close enough.

I drove onto the cobblestoned driveway and saw a collection of fine cars. I found my father's, along with Emmett's, and parked next to them.

I jumped out of the car and went to the door, ringing the bell that rang out loudly like a church chime.

A stuffy butler stood in front of me with his nose in the air. "Name," he said.

"Edward Cullen." I gave him my coat and pushed past him, going into the dark foyer.

I could already smell the cigar smoke and brandy that was wafting through the house. No doubt the older men were congratulating each other on being masters of the universe. That's basically what we did for the first hour.

I walked into the massive family room that was filled with people. Dark furniture and hardwood floors set the backdrop for such a wonderful occasion as this. Old portraits of the Misser family dotted the walls, and it was as if I had stepped into Edith Wharton's _The Age of Innocence,_ which was one novel I happened to hate with a passion.

I found my brothers in a corner of the room talking to some other men, and there were about thirty of us all congregated in the house. I was able to slip in undetected since everyone was talking and milling around.

Everyone was there: the Chinese, Japanese, Russians, Nigerians, Jamaicans, almost all the countries from South America were represented, and then the Irish who were still licking their wounds from a massive take over a couple years ago.

"You're late," Jasper whispered to me.

"I know, I know. I'm not going to tell you why." I leaned against the wall and straightened out my hair.

"Early morning sex with the lady?" Emmett wiggled his eyebrows.

"I wish. Anything good happen yet?"

"Nope, we're being boring as usual." Jasper shrugged. "Shinobu's here though." He pointed to sofa where he was laughing his ass off for some reason.

"Dad already had a talk with him. I would have loved to hear what that was about," Emmett chuckled.

I hummed a response and turned to Alec, who was hiding in the corner. I saw him taking small sips of something in a clear glass.

"What are you drinking?" I snatched it out of his hand and sniffed it. I tasted the drink, and the burn of scotch ran down my throat. I hit the back of his head. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I was thirsty," he complained with a pout.

"What the hell is wrong with _you_?" Emmett swiftly took the glass from my hand and slapped the back of my head.

"I'm a grown man," I argued.

"Wait until I tell Bella." He smirked. "She's not going to be pleased."

I got a slight chill, but hid it well.

_What was she going to do? _

My mind started creating weird scenarios that could lead to Bella forcing me up against a wall again.

"Look, he went pale." Jasper pointed at me and laughed.

"Shut up." I pushed him.

Carlisle strode over to us, like he was walking on air, and had a glass of his own that he was nursing.

"Are we all ready for today?" he asked us.

"I can't wait," I replied sarcastically.

"I think it's going to be fun." Alec, always the sycophantic suck up, smiled.

"That's my boy." Carlisle ruffled his hair.

"You two are disgusting." Emmett rolled his eyes and went to the bar.

I stayed with Carlisle for the hour, because there was no telling what I was liable to do if I was left alone with some of these men. We had been in conflict with many of them in the past, and some were even glaring at me whenever I took a breath. They all knew we were the shit and were always trying to defeat us, but it was pointless on their part. They would always be inferior, no matter how hard they tried.

Aro, Felix, and Demetri made themselves known about fifteen minutes after I got there. They knew not to speak with us, so there wasn't even a glance in our direction. Carlisle was through with them, and he made that known with several heated calls a couple months ago. They got the message loud and clear.

I had a glass of water in my hand for the whole time and drank it with a scowl. It tasted so… nasty, but I didn't dare grab for anything stronger.

I decided to use the restroom before the festivities got underway. I spent a longer than normal amount of time in there so that I didn't have to deal with anyone. I just stood against the sink and debated on whether to text Bella or not, but I decided against it because there was no way I would be able to keep up a conversation once the meeting began.

I checked my watch and realized that I probably had been in here longer than I should have. I washed my hands one more time. I opened the door and was met with Dirk Misser Jr., who was leaning on the opposite wall.

He was three years older than me, with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. He looked fairly "normal", if there was such a thing. Unlike the rest of us, he was dressed casually in dark blue jeans, a plaid button-up shirt, and cowboy boots.

"Well, howdy, Cullen," he drawled in his Oklahoma accent. His words never really separated.

"Dirk." I nodded and tried to move past him, but he stopped me.

"Haven't seen you in a while." He smiled wryly.

"Yeah, I heard you went upstate for rehab."

"I heard you _need_ to go upstate for rehab." He tilted his head. His lips then went up into a devilish grin.

Dirk and I had gone to college together. We were competitors of the worst kind when it came to things like sports, cars, and guns. I guessed you could call it a friendly kind of rivalry, but to me, there was no such thing.

"And how's the business treating you?" he asked, leaning against the wall again.

"Good," I replied cryptically.

"I was meaning to call you so that we could go paintballing."

"Sounds fun."

"It's the American way, Eddy." He patted my back roughly.

Dirk was one of those "All American" boys who were into football and proclaiming how great our country was. He was known for his grandstanding, and on more than one occasion, I could have sworn that he was a senator from somewhere because he was always on his soapbox about something. Once he got started, it was impossible for him to stop.

"So, how you think this get-together's going to play out?" His words were so drawn together, I had to work to hear him.

"I don't know. If you keep Aro and his people in line, we should be fine."

"I've been trying to keep Shinobu away from you all day. He's got a bone to pick with you," Dirk snickered.

"Who doesn't?"

"That's true. They're all after you it seems."

The meeting started after all the men were a little oiled up off of brandy. We went upstairs to the gigantic conference room. It was on the second floor and could probably seat fifty, which was lucky for us since there were just around that many that filled the room.

We were all separated by family and sat around the shiny, wooden table in those specific groups. I sat on Carlisle's right side with everyone else behind us. My father had on his half-moon glasses, which meant business. He was going to fight his way in control of this meeting, like he always did.

"Alright, gentleman." Dirk clapped his hands at the head of the table. "As usual, welcome. My grandfather wishes he could be here but, of course, his health is not cooperating." He pointed above his head where I'm sure Dirk Sr. was stashed away in a medical bed.

"Can I first say that it's an honor to be sitting here with all you fine men?" Shinobu slurred and raised his glass.

Not to be outdone, Dirk puffed out his chest and actually brought out a fucking gavel from under the table. "As am I and I'm more than happy to open up my home for this grand occasion."

_We're never going to get anything done. _

Dirked banged his gavel on the table and everyone got very serious all of a sudden, bringing out their papers and folders of documents. Emmett handed me all of our stuff that I spread out in front of Carlisle. There were a lot of numbers, maps, and statistics that no one would understand but us. It was all coded just in case.

Carlisle's eyes scanned the pages eagerly. Emmett and Jasper interjected with their comments when he asked them to. Alec was here for observation, since this was his first time.

Just as things were about to get started and the groups got their shit together, the double doors of the room opened. A man in a wheelchair was pushed through by Laurent fucking Denali.

The man in the wheelchair had his legs in casts, a neck brace, and was pulling an oxygen machine close to his body with the clear mask of his mouth.

A small snort escaped my throat when I realized it was James.

_Had I beaten him that badly? _

No one in this room except for my family, James, and I knew what had happened to him. For one, it was a huge embarrassment on his part to be beaten to near death. Second, he wouldn't get any compassion from the men of the table if they knew the backstory behind our debacle. Wives and girlfriends were sacred to us. Don't look, and definitely don't touch. Any other one of the bosses would have killed James if they were in my position. He was tight lipped on what had happened, so I doubted if even Laurent knew about it.

A lot of James' injuries were just for dramatics. I knew that much. He wanted sympathy from all the leaders so that the Denalis would have some sort of hold over what had been lost by them in the past year. They had squandered almost everything away, and the elder Denalis were probably rolling in their graves. Now, James and his coven had joined up with the other Irish gang for protection. They would be wiped out any other way.

There was a round of applause as James was wheeled to the opposite side of the table, and he gave a hand wave.

His eyes locked on mine, and I just tipped my head in his direction with a wicked smirk. I couldn't help it. The bastard looked pathetic.

"Damn, I would have at least thought he would be walking by now," Emmett whispered to me. "What the hell did you do to him?"

"You were there, and you only stopped me when he was about to die. This is just as much your fault as it is mine," I laughed under my breath.

"Touché." He leaned back in his seat.

"We felt that we needed to at least be present for the meeting." Laurent sat in a seat next to James.

This was already shaping up to be better than last year.

"Alright, so first, we'll start off with dividing up the territories. Any suggestions?" Dirk asked. A map on a giant TV screen appeared behind him with a picture of Chicago on it. It was split up into different sections by color, based on family.

Of course, Carlisle had to be the first to answer.

"I want everything from the far southeast side, down." My father actually pulled out a laser pointer and drew a circle around the massive area he wanted on the screen. "Plus, all of this around the north end."

"Whoa, there." Jerry, the Irish boss held up his hands. "I think you need to leave some for the rest of us."

"I would if any of you did anything with the territories you were assigned," Carlisle sighed.

Aro decided to enter the conversation with his deep tenor, "I think we just need to do this more democratically than last time."

"Why should we, when Carlisle just moves in on our territories anyway?" Shinobu said.

"I don't think you want me to bring up what happened a couple of weeks ago. If you would like to go down that road, then we can." Carlisle gave him a raised eyebrow.

"That was under special circumstances. I thought that you had some of my shipment."

"Exactly why we need to split up the territories in our favor," I interjected. "If you would have paid any attention to the map, you would have known that the north piers were ours. Your men had no business over there."

"Shut up, Edward," Shinobu growled at me.

I stood up so quickly that my chair flipped to the floor. I was seriously considering jumping on the table, but Emmett had a hold on me before I could even think.

"Stay calm." He lifted my chair back up and pushed me down.

I could feel my eyes squint as they darted towards Shinobu.

_Did this fucker know who he was dealing with? _

"I won't be responsible for my actions if you ever speak to me that way again," I ground out.

The meeting really got underway after that.

There was a lot of talking, and even more shouting, as everything was divided among the groups. The main issue was whether or not to separate Chicago based on merit or largest families. In both cases, Carlisle would have gobbled up almost everything, and people didn't like that one bit. To be honest, there was no way around any of it. We were going to get everything anyway, but I guessed people needed to put up a fight just to try.

At the end of the land divisions, Carlisle got everything he wanted plus more. He was now in possession of almost all of Chicago, including the Denali's territory, which he ripped from them, under the pretense that they didn't have a solid leader anymore. He was ruthless.

There was a massive fight when we started going internationally. The Jamaicans and Puerto Ricans began fighting for who was going to run the drugs out of Miami. We ended up having to break so that we could settle things down.

We broke for lunch after another couple hours of pure raging lunacy.

I was still pissed to no end. It might seem like nothing, but I had never taken lightly to anyone telling me to "shut up". I sulked and tried to stay away from anyone who didn't have the last name Cullen. It brightened my day up a little to see James trying to mumble something out of his wired jaw.

When we reconvened, everyone was ready to get into divvying up product markets. By that, I mean specialties between families. That didn't really bode well for anyone else either. The Cullens focused on firearms, but of course we dabbled in everything else as well. Carlisle stayed silent throughout that portion of the day, because we all knew that we would make more money than any of these fuckers combined when the year was out.

I kept checking my phone as the hours went on, and I groaned when I realized that this was going to be a more than one day type gathering. We would have to come back tomorrow for another meeting. That was only made worse since tomorrow was Sunday. Esme would not be happy.

It was five, but I still had about three hours before Eleazar was going to be at my house for our therapy session.

"That was probably the worst day in my life." Emmett stretched as we got up from the table.

"It wasn't as bad as that one year when Edward almost threw that guy out the window," Jasper laughed.

"He had it coming." I shrugged.

"You need to keep you anger in check, Edward." Carlisle started packing up our things. "I won't have this meeting disrupted because of your attitude."

"He started it."

"Well, when get here tomorrow, I need this to go quickly," he whispered to us. "Aro's going to try to bring up the fact that I haven't necessarily been playing by the meeting rules."

"That's bullshit," Alec snipped. "He's ten times worse than you. He doesn't even care about following instructions. He shouldn't even be here."

"I know, but there's nothing I can really do about it."

"These meetings set… guidelines, instead of laws, anyway," Jasper replied. "It's not like they're cast in stone."

"True, but we should at least try to set some good ones," Carlisle sighed. "This is just getting very tedious, and Dirk has no idea what he's doing."

"You ended up taking over at the end." That was no surprise though. He always did that.

"Well, it would be nice to have this go smoothly. If they would just give me everything I wanted, I wouldn't have to shout."

"Greedy bastard." Emmett hit Carlisle on the back.

"May I be excused?" I asked gruffly, wanting to catch Bella for dinner before it was too late.

"Why would you want to leave such a wonderful family reunion?" I heard Aro's voice from behind me.

We all turned around where he, Felix, and Demetri were standing with stoic faces. I had to contain myself from rolling my eyes at the fact that they might have thought of themselves as tougher than us.

"Aro, it's nice to see you again." Carlisle nodded. We didn't bother saying anything.

"You never call me anymore, old friend."

"And you know why," my father said coolly. "You threatened my family."

"All in good fun, though." Aro's grin was sickening.

"Is there something you needed? I have places to be." Carlisle actually sighed in frustration or annoyance. I'm not sure which.

"I just wanted to discuss the territories for this year. I find it highly unfair that you're taking the biggest… again."

"If you have something you would like to speak with me about, you will make an appointment like everyone else. Now, if you'll excuse me..." Carlisle grabbed his briefcase and brushed right past Aro.

"Peace, boys." Emmett waved and followed.

Felix was staring me down like I was the devil, and I kept my glare up as well. He just looked like he was itching to say something or start a fight. I would give it to him too. If he wanted to brawl, then I would just handle it right here.

"Let's go." Alec pushed me hard, and I started walking forward.

As I moved past Felix, my hearing, once again picked up his words.

"How's Bella?" His voice was so sick and disgusting that it bordered on vomit inducing. His tone was dripping with innuendo and a hidden purpose that made me furious.

My Eagle was already drawn by the time someone noticed it.

Just as my finger pulled the trigger, my arm was pointed upwards so that the bullet flew into the ceiling with a loud bang.

Everyone ducked and the gun was taken out of my hand by Alec, who quickly stashed it in his belt.

No matter. I didn't need guns.

I jumped for Felix and caught him by the neck. He was almost as big as Emmett, so it was hard to take him down, but he collapsed onto the table behind him. I just started pounding the fuck out of anything I could reach for. I felt him struggling underneath me so I knew he was going to break free soon.

I curled my fist up tightly and landed a punch into his jaw that cracked loudly.

"Edward, get off of him." Emmett pulled me backwards but couldn't get me far enough away.

"Son of a bitch." I lunged again and the heel of my hand went up Felix's nose. We all heard a gruesome snap, "I'm going to kill you!"

Without warning, he craned his head upwards and knocked me right in the face.

I stumbled backwards slightly and saw stars, but I didn't let them get in the way of my prey.

"Get the fuck off of me, Edward. I'll fuck her up so badly." He snickered and I knew exactly who he was talking about when he said "she".

"Not if I kill you first."

I saw the gun in Alec's belt and snatched it back, pointing it at Felix's body.

I shot twice and didn't even bat an eyelash.

The gun vibrated in my hand and smoke poured out of the barrel as it crept upwards. The air filled with a scent of burning paper as the pistol released its bullets.

Just in the nick of time, he rolled over; instead of the bullets being lodged in his stomach, they struck the wood of the table.

"Getting old there," Demetri came out of nowhere and twisted my arm backwards so that the gun fell to the floor.

"Get your fucking hands off of me," I snarled. I snapped my head backwards and knocked him right in the face, but he didn't let go.

He was pulled away by a very angry Jasper, who just started beating him as furiously as I had done to Felix. Emmett and Alec jumped to my defense and a lot of noise was being made as punches were thrown and bones were broken.

A lot of men had guns drawn and it was all happening so fast that they almost didn't have time to understand what was happening.

There was a rumble on the floor as I reached for Felix. Before I could do any damage, someone intervened.

"Get up." Carlisle grabbed me by the collar of my suit and tugged me until I was standing again before shoving me out of the door.

"Don't lecture me." I wiped some blood from my nose when we were in the hallway. There was still a hell of a lot of commotion going on inside the conference room. Sadly, I wasn't a part of any of it.

"This isn't high school, Edward."

"What would you have done if he had talked about Esme?" I challenged in a strained voice.

"I would have killed him right there."

"So why can't I?"

"Because you're not at my level. You can't go killing every mob member you want. You don't have the infallibility that I do." His eyes were stern.

"You're not the fucking Pope."

"I might as well be." Carlisle closed his eyes and crossed himself. "Forgive me." He sighed. "The point of the matter is that you're my son, and I can't keep pulling you out of these situations. I won't be here forever, and they aren't as forgiving to you because you have no power."

"I have all the power I need to shoot his brains out." I tried to go back inside the room, but he held me back.

"Edward, go home." He started pushing me down the stairs. "I have to clean all of this up, but I want you gone."

I debated on whether or not to follow orders. I knew that Carlisle was being serious right now, but he had no right to tell me how I should behave when it came to Bella. He even admitted that he would have done the same thing, so why was i being punished?

"Edward, go." Carlisle pointed to the stairs like I was a child.

"Make sure I get my gun back." I turned and stomped down the stairs.

"Coat, sir?" The butler handed it to me as I reached the door, and I ripped it out of his hands.

My body was shaking so badly, I thought I was going to erupt from the inside out.

The anger in me was enough to scare a bull. I couldn't fathom why that son of a bitch would even bring Bella into this. Did Felix want to die? This was the second time that her name had fallen from his lips in my presence and last time I vowed to kill him. I was still planning on keeping that promise because I had warned him once. I didn't give second chances.

I sat in the Saleen for a good ten minutes, doing my fucking breathing exercises. I was still trembling too bad to drive, so I ducked under until I could reach the floorboard of the passenger's side and opened it up. I shifted through the guns and found the pack of cigarettes.

I rolled down the window, lit the end of one, and took a deep drag that instantly calmed me. I blew out the smoke, and my head started pounding from the nicotine that I had been off for the past two weeks.

Bella was going to kick my ass when I got home.

* * *

**HOLY "FLYING OFF THE HANDLE" EDWARD BATMAN**

**HE IS NOT HAPPY, WAS HE? WE NEEDED THE BAD BUT GOOD EDWARD BACK.(IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE). FROM HERE ON OUT, HE'LL BE KICKING ASS AND TAKING 'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF CHAPTERS. THE BLOOD WILL FLY. **

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	36. Chapter 35

Gargoyle

BELLA POV

_ "I had life threats... I literally had people saying my blood would run in the streets for doing that."-Richard Donner _

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

My leg bounced on the carpeted floor in Edward's living room. The tension filled the air to the point that was it was almost suffocating.

"Does anyone want to say anything else?" Eleazar asked the both of us. Edward was on one side of the sofa, and I was on the other. The separation was so far that I was actually getting cold over here.

Edward was tapping the fingers of his one useful hand on his knee. The other hand was in a small brace, evidence of his fighting a couple of days earlier at his stupid mob meeting. From what I'd heard, it didn't go very well, and Edward had gotten fairly feisty.

"Are you sure that you don't have anything to say?" Eleazar sighed and leaned back in his chair. "We still have half an hour on the clock."

"I've talked the whole time," I said to Edward.

"I don't know what you want me to say." He shrugged and sucked on his teeth annoyingly.

"Why don't we just talk about what we're doing here? I think we should start from the beginning. Why are we here?" He asked with his hands in the "thinking deeply" finger tepee.

"We're here because we have problems. We've already established that." Edward sighed heavily.

"Well, anyone in this life would have problems, but it goes deeper than that. Edward, Bella has talked for our last three sessions. She's told you that she was hurt by your actions, and she accepts that you apologized, but feels like you're shutting her out. Did I get that right, Bella?" He turned to me, and I nodded.

"First of all, you don't need to be here," Edward spoke with acid in his tone towards Eleazar. "Secondly, Bella, I apologized, and I'm willing to do whatever you want. Just tell me what to do."

"I want you to talk to me. I have no idea what happened in Bermuda. All you said was that you kissed some girl and you liked it. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"I don't know what you want me to say. I tried to be truthful with you, and you know I don't mince words. I did something wrong and I told you. Did you want me to lie?"

"No, but it would be nice to know what you were thinking. I just don't understand how you could do something like that and just not think about the reasons behind it."

"Now we're getting somewhere…" Eleazar began.

Edward cut him off, "Shut up. The only reason you're here is because you're Carlisle's friend. I've check you out, and you're a quack. You didn't graduate, went to jail twice, and have no psychiatric experience."

Eleazar cowered back in his seat. To be honest, he wasn't really helping things.

"There were no thoughts behind it." Edward crossed his arms.

"You're lying. What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing."

"Let's go from the beginning. Edward, tell us the whole story," Eleazar suggested.

Edward didn't say anything for a minute. His eyes shifted to mine, like he was asking me for permission. I didn't know if I wanted to hear all of this, but I needed to understand how he could do that and _not _understand that I was hurt. He was still under the impression that because he apologized, it was all better.

I gave an encouraging head nod.

He let out a long breath. "Alright, well, I was injured earlier in the day and was hopped up on pain medication. When I woke up from my nap, I went to a bar to drink and that's where I met that girl. I think… her name was Ginger or something."

_Ginger. She sounded like a stripper. _

"I pushed her away the first time, and then went back home. She must have followed me because she was just there…" Edward shrugged. "I should have gone inside, but I didn't. Next thing I know, she was on my lap and her tongue was down my throat. That's all."

"That's where he always ends this story," I told Eleazar.

"Because I don't want to go on. It doesn't make any difference. I did something wrong; it's over."

"I think you would feel better if you told Bella about things."

Edward just glared at our therapist through squinted eyes.

"I kissed her, and I liked it. I know that makes me sound like a horrible person, but I was drunk and drugged. I thought she was you," Edward said.

"You what?" I turned towards him.

"I thought she was you. I kept saying your name and I… don't know. I thought you were there."

I didn't even know what to say to that.

_He thought she was me? _

"Why… didn't you tell me that?" I asked him.

"I didn't think it mattered. Does it?"

"Well, yes. I thought you liked kissing this _Ginger _girl, but you thought it was me?"

I didn't want to say that it was sweet, but it sure did allow me to see what was going through his head. He was under the influence—that was his fault—but his mistake was becoming more and more forgivable in my mind. He did something wrong, although, I could now see how he made such a big blunder.

"Did you stop after you realized…" I asked.

"Of course I did. I told you that I would never mean to hurt you on purpose. Once I understood what was happening, I sent her away." Edward turned towards me.

"Why didn't you tell me that? I'm not nearly as pissed as I used to be."

"I don't know. It doesn't make sense to me why you would want to know the nasty details of my mess up."

"But… it makes sense to me now. I'm not going to say that it still doesn't hurt, but I can understand your mistake. You didn't tell me the whole story." I moved closer to him.

"I didn't think I needed to."

We looked at each other for a long second. I could see that he was genuinely sorry. His eyes said it, his words said it; his body positioning said it.

"See, this is why I'm here." Eleazar clapped his hands.

Edward growled under his breath and shot up from the sofa. "You need to leave. Get your things and go."

"Edward, I'm here to help."

"I don't want you in my house, I don't want you to be my therapist, and I sure as hell don't want you inside my head."

"I think you should go," I said to Eleazar, "But thank you. You've been very helpful."

He gave me a warm smile. "I do the best I can."

He gathered his stuff slowly while Edward stood near the door, tapping his toe loudly. I just tried to keep talking to Eleazar so that this didn't turn more awkward. We laughed about something stupid, and I could hear Edward's deep breaths of frustration with us as the seconds dragged on.

"So, let's meet again next week?" Eleazar said at the door.

"Sure," I replied before Edward cut him off.

"And about to the subject of payment…"

Edward shut the door before our therapist could get another word out.

"Finally," he said. "That man was infuriating."

"He's just trying to help."

"I don't believe that at all."

"You really need to work on your people skills." I wrapped my arms around him and put my hands in the back pockets of his pants.

"He was annoying me." Edward bent his head down and trailed a row of kisses from my neck up. "I don't think he knows what he's doing."

"He got us talking."

"No, _you_ got us talking… or more like_ forced_ us," he chuckled. His lips vibrated against the underside of my chin.

"I still can't believe you thought she was me."

"I don't know what else to say." His tongue darted out to taste my skin.

I knew where this was going. Did I want to take that plunge so quickly?

_Hell yes!_

I moved Edward's head up so that our lips could meet, and my arms encircled his neck, bringing him closer. We both moaned from the sensation; I think it was the first time I had ever heard him make that sort of noise.

"We haven't been down this road in a long time." His large hands cupped my ass and pushed me into his rather large erection that was brushing against my stomach.

The fire within me quickly and unexpectedly started burning white hot.

Edward lifted me up—easily and smoothly—before carrying me into the family room where we had just sat. My back hit the soft leather of the couch, and Edward's hot body was on top of mine in an instant.

"You feel so good," his low voice whispered in my ear.

I whimpered in reply.

A gentle moan escaped my lips as his crashed to mine. A trail of fire swept across my arms and back as his fingers greedily ate me up. He pulled me closer, his lips working in perfect unison against me.

He hitched my leg around his waist so that he could push himself deeper between my legs.

Edward groaned loudly, and my head fell back against the armrest of the sofa as he devoured my neck. We moved together; his hips pushing against mine; his hands hungrily kneading the skin of my lower back and behind before finally gripping my waist to create the friction he desired. His hips deliciously ground against mine, and I almost couldn't take it. It was almost too much.

"Jesus," he hissed, his whole body pushed me into the leather, "you're fucking killing me, Bella."

"Same…" I panted, wanting so badly to be without clothes right now.

_Slow down, Bella. _

Edward ran his tongue against my flushed skin, causing me to let out an embarrassed, strangled moan.

I swiveled my hips and gave his hair a forceful tug, eliciting another groan of pleasure from his lips. I could already feel the wetness between my legs. The growing tightness in my stomach escalated with every whimper, every word that left Edward's lips.

He gently bit down on the tender flesh of my ear lobe, whispering some very dirty things to me. I think I actually blushed, but I wouldn't really know since I was already hot and bothered.

I ran my hands along his torso, my nails scratching at his shirt-covered body. I was begging in my head for him to rip it off.

"Edward, you're taking too long," I rasped out.

"Because I'm trying to get you back for making me pee in that fucking cup."

My back arched off of the sofa, pushing my chest into his toned body. "That… that wasn't…" I didn't have a reply.

"You're a tease." His voice was rough, and his stubbly jaw was scratchy against my neck. He sucked at my skin, pulling the flesh between his teeth before running a long line from earlobe to collar bone, moving my shirt away from my neck in the process. A shiver of pleasure ripped through my body at the playfulness of his voice.

"I didn't mean to." My voice was shaking from anticipation.

"You know I hate being teased, Bella," he whispered against my breasts as his fingertips pushed the fabric of my shirt up my body. I lifted up slightly so that he could get it all the way off. Edward dropped the shirt to the floor.

His fingers ghosted back down my stomach, playing softly against my bare skin. My body electrified at his touch. I had succumbed to the raw animal inside.

"Do you know how I get when I'm teased?" Edward's voice was so rough now; I thought he was a different person. He scooted down my body, away from my face, and his nose ran over the swell of my breasts.

He one-handedly unbuttoned my jeans. His fingers slipped below the elastic of my panties, gently teasing the soft skin of my upper thighs with his expert touch. I whimpered softly when his knuckle grazed my folds.

I felt him grin into my stomach before running his tongue around my belly button, lapping softly at my skin. His finger moved slowly towards my core in slow, lazy circles, and I felt like my whole body would burst into flames.

_What the hell kind of magic did this man possess? _

"Do you, Bella?" he asked again, this time more sternly, as if I was his student.

My breathing was coming out in sharp gasps as the anticipation neared a boiling point. My jeans began to shimmy down my legs and the cold air was dancing across my skin, but I welcomed it.

"Bella, I asked you a question," Edward said. "Do. You. Know. How. I. Get. When. I'm. Teased," he said slowly, pointedly.

When my jeans were down to my ankles, Edward ripped them from my body.

"N…no," I stuttered.

I arched my back against his hand, silently begging him to touch me where I wanted. He just kept teasing me with one finger, a ghostly touch, or a light breeze from his cool breath.

I was in nothing more than my underwear, just as I wanted it.

I felt his long fingers play with the fabric of my panties. He moved them to the side so softly that I almost didn't feel it. His fingertip grazed my clit, sending my body into convulsions at the sweet sensation. He swirled it softly against my opening for a moment before slowly pushing his lengthy finger inside me.

"You still don't know the answer to the question?" he asked, and I could almost hear the smirk on his lips. If that made any sense.

"I get very agitated. I will make you beg for me." He curled his finger for added emphasis.

_Sweet mother of God! _

I ground my teeth together, almost painfully, to keep to my noises inside. Edward moved slowly, his fingertips twisting into my body as his thumb made small circles against my clit.

"Fuck, Bella, you're so wet. What's got you so turned on?"

He pushed another finger inside me, eliciting a guttural moan from my lips. I arched against him, pulling him deeper inside me with each of his gentle movements.

"You," I whispered.

"I'm going to make you scream. Believe me when I say that."

Just as I was about to go over the edge, I felt him retract his fingers.

I whimpered, my body immediately aching against the loss.

"I told you. You have to beg," Edward chuckled and started kissing his way back up my body.

"Please..." I said softly.

"You can do better than that."

He swiftly moved the side of my bra out of the way and pulled my taut nipple into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the sensitive flesh getting a loud moan from my lips. My eyes slid closed; my entire body hummed against the warmth of his mouth.

I suddenly couldn't take it anymore. I pushed his head back away from my chest and grabbed his hair so that he came closer to my face.

"Edward," I whispered against his lips, "I might scream if you keep this up."

He snickered softly into my shoulder. "You're going to scream no matter what."

I could feel his hard cock pressing against me through his pants, and I swiveled my hips slightly.

"Jesus," he hissed, his face falling between my breasts to suck the sensitive skin between his teeth.

"Come on, _Edward_," I teased, nipping at his ear lobe. "I thought you were going to make me scream."

A small growl erupted from his throat at the challenge.

He sat up, ripping the shirt from his body; I felt buttons as they rained down over me. His once covered chest was replaced by the smooth skin I wanted.

Our hands began working with the buckle of his belt and pants at the same time. We were fumbling around with it since neither of us was looking.

"I can do it," he snarled, taking my lips with his.

"Well then, hurry up," I commanded.

Edward's pants were off within the next second, and he pushed them down his legs as far as they would go, just leaving them there when he was done.

My hands traced the contours of his body: the sculpted ridges between the muscles of his shoulders; the firm mounds of his pecs; the deep dips of his abdomen. Edward Cullen was sexual dynamite.

I felt his breathing hitch when I hooked my fingers in the elastic of his boxers.

I tried to push them down, but my arms were too short, and I couldn't really move with Edward on top of me. He answered my silent question on how to get rid of them by standing up pulling his pants and boxers off at the same time.

I soon felt the weight of his complete naked body above me, forcing me into the now sweaty leather of the couch.

"You're still clothed," his husky voice muttered.

My panties were ripped from my body, and I knew I was going to have a mark in the morning. I didn't mind in the slightest.

The tip of his cock twitched against my center, and I moaned eagerly.

Inch by glorious fucking inch, he filled me, pushing deeper within my body. My walls stretched uncomfortably, but the discomfort was quickly replaced by pleasure.

"Fuck, Bella," he moaned when our hips met flush against each other.

I gasped loudly at the sound of his words.

He moved masterfully inside me, starting off at a slow pace that quickly sped up, along with our breathing.

Edward had memorized, studied, and had been accustomed to my body. He played me like his fucking baby grand piano. I didn't know if I was ever going to get used to this.

I could actually feel his entire dick penetrate me deeply. I think he was hitting internal organs, but I'm sure I didn't need any of them. I wouldn't have cared anyway. Lights flashed behind my eyes, and my head started pounding in euphoria. I don't think normal humans were supposed to feel so much pleasure at one time. Surely it must be biologically harmful.

Years could have passed; I'm sure they did, but I wouldn't have known.

"Let me feel you cum, Bella," he whispered before smothering my lips with his.

My body rose into his and he ignited the blissful explosion in my core.

I screamed in pleasure and found my fingers tugging at his bronze hair. My walls contracted violently against his cock, making him tumble over the cliff-side, mere seconds after me.

Edward collapsed on top of me; I welcomed his weight as a sign that I was still alive.

"Holy shit." I felt him place kisses over my naked skin. "You really did kill me."

I couldn't speak. I couldn't even form coherent thoughts.

I let my fingers travel up and down the muscles of his back, which were drenched in small droplets of sweat.

We stayed that way for the rest of the night. We literally didn't move for hours. When he finally rolled off of me, I missed the warmth, so I hugged his body close and fell asleep. Throughout the night, I felt his hands on me. I don't think he closed his eyes once.

When I woke up, Edward was still looking at me, just like he had been when I passed out.

"Good morning," I mumbled sleepily.

"Good morning." He ran a hand over my stomach. "I was going to wake you up in a couple minutes. You have to get to school."

"I don't want to go." I tangled my legs in his and breathed in his deep scent.

"You have to," he chuckled. "Your education is very important."

"Forget it." I lazily smiled. "I can do home schooling."

"I think Charlie might kill me."

"He'll kill you regardless." I tried to get off of the couch; instead of a smooth movement I, of course, rolled onto the floor with a heavy thud.

"Oh, Bella…" Edward sighed and lifted me up, carrying me to his bathroom for a shower.

By the time we were both ready to leave, I was running late. Edward had gotten an urgent call from Emmett that they had business to attend to. Thankfully, his mob meeting was over, and I didn't have to worry about him killing anyone today. I couldn't even blame him for smoking because it sounded like he had a rough time. As long as it wasn't anything stronger than a cigarette, I wasn't going to bring down the hammer. He was still in the beginning stages of rehab.

We didn't have time to eat, but that was okay since I had a short day and could grab something later for lunch. We went to school in Edward's BMW and I made sure that I had all my papers, since I wouldn't have time to stop off at my dorm this morning.

"Do you have any tests this week?" Edward asked as he sped off into traffic.

"Just one on Friday. My professor has a crush on me so I can skate by in that class," I laughed.

"If he tries anything…"

"I was just joking, Edward. Goodness."

"Oh, that's not funny," he breathed. "I've just been having a hard time with men always talking about you. It's hard for me to get past that."

I nodded in understanding. "And it works both ways. How do you think I feel when women look you up and down like a piece of meat?"

"That's different," he scoffed.

"Why?"

"Because… it just is."

"Great explanation." I rolled my eyes.

"It's a scientific fact that women are objectified more than men in this society."

"How about we just agree that we're both being objectified and we both don't like it?"

"Agreed, although, I wish you would wear more appropriate clothing in public."

I looked myself up and down. "What are you talking about? I'm in a polar bear jacket."

"Yeah, but your sweater is kind of tight underneath that."

"So you want me to wear baggy jeans and shirts? That's not very attractive."

"Exactly. You finally understand." Edward grinned.

I let him continue to drone on about how I should wear a burlap sack to school from now on. I found it kind of funny that he would lecture me about how I looked in men's eyes when he clearly couldn't see the way women looked at him. They basically eye-fucked him on the street.

Edward dropped me off at my first class after a very lengthy kiss, which was just another reason keeping me from going to school. I would have loved to sit in Edward's toasty house. That wasn't an option though, so I stepped out into the windy cold and trudged to class.

Nothing exciting was happening in school. I was able to test out a lot of my entry courses, so I kind of just moved on to anything I wanted to take. This semester, I was in two upper level literature classes and an international business course, which was actually really difficult. Thankfully, Edward was a genius, and he made everything that sounded jumbled from my professor's mouth seem understandable.

Edward was also really helpful in my other main class this semester. He ought to be, since it was Intro to Italian. Thankfully, I wasn't too horrible at languages and could pick up a lot of things quickly, but he helped me outside of class. A lot of the time, Edward would only speak in Italian so that I _had _to learn it. I was doing really well and found myself even thinking in Italian sometimes. I was proud of myself for that.

I sat through all of my classes and easily soaked up the information for the day.

The one person who I hadn't seen all semester had been Seth. I have no idea where that kid went, but it was a large campus, so I guess I could have missed him. Last semester, I used to see him all the time; walking to class, in the dining hall, in class. It was almost as if he was following me. Now, not so much.

I spent the entire international business class, trying to explain to my partner what kind of market the US had. He didn't seem to understand, but it was easy if he would have just read the material. I couldn't really blame him, though. No one in the class knew what we were discussing.

The day ended around lunch and my stomach was growling embarrassingly. Edward must've heard it from all the way across town because just as I stepped out of my last lecture, he texted me and said that he was waiting to take me to lunch. I more than happily complied.

I spotted Edward's car on the street and almost skipped towards it. He reached over and opened the door for me.

"Ciao, Bella," he said in that Italian accent he had, which was entirely too sexy.

"Can we just speak in English today?"

"No, solo Italiano," he snickered, obviously enjoying my lack of knowledge on the language. As much as I had learned in these few months, it was nothing compared to his mastery.

"Fine," I sighed and switched my brain into Italian, "come è stata la giornata?" I asked him how his day was.

Edward rapidly proceeded to tell me what he had done today as he ripped through the streets. I could only catch some of it because he was speaking so fast. I did my best though and kept up a decent conversation for the entire ride.

When we were seated in a booth at Aqua, he finally gave me a reprieve and allowed us to talk in English.

"You'll be a master in a couple of months," he said in approval of my skills.

"Yeah, right. I haven't even started the hard stuff yet. I'm only in the intro level." I reviewed the menu that was on our table.

"Well, the other students don't have an amazing teacher like me."

"Of course."

A jittery waiter appeared at our table with a shaking pad in his hand. The guy was so nervous, and it was all thanks to Edward. He could give off that vibe sometimes.

"Hello, and welcome to Aqua again, Mr. Cullen," the waiter said as if he was reading a script in his head. "What can I get you two to drink?"

"I'll have water," I replied in a way to try to calm him, but it didn't work.

"I'll have a Heineken in an ice cold glass," Edward said, and I was surprised that his tone wasn't snippy. He must be working on his demeanor.

The waiter let out a relieved breath. "And can I offer you our specials for the day?"

"No, I think we're ready to order." Edward put his menu down. "You can go first, Bella."

"I'll have the crab cakes." My order was simple, as it always was.

"For you, sir?"

"I'll have the seafood and chicken paella. Tell them to use aged Italian olive oil, instead of canola oil; chicken breasts, not thighs; all the vegetables cut on the bias, not cooked with any wine; an extra pinch of salt, and six pieces of each seafood." Edward spoke quickly and precisely.

The waiter's hand couldn't even write the order down. "Can... can you repeat that?" he asked.

Edward scowled and grumbled under his breath, but repeated the order. The waiter left us alone after a terrifying second, and I could see the sweat on his brow. He almost tripped over himself as he scurried away.

"I'm going to have to speak with Jasper about his wait staff." Edward crossed his arms on the table.

"Did you have to terrorize that poor kid?"

"I tried being nice. I even did my breathing exercises. He was just stupid."

"You sure are one of a kind." I had to laugh at him. There was nothing else I could do.

Edward and I talked about nothing in particular over lunch. Our waiter didn't come back, but was instead replaced with a more confident man who had known Edward's ways for years. I really did feel bad for the other guy. I made a note to remind myself to leave him a big tip before we left.

When my stomach was filled with luscious seafood, Edward tried to convince me that I needed to eat more, but I couldn't.

"You're too skinny." He shook his head. "It's not healthy."

"I'm a normal size. You can't shove food down my throat."

"I think you have a tape worm that must be eating all of your food. Where does it go?"

"It's not like I eat as much as you do." I looked down at my plate that was empty, so I didn't know why he was complaining. Granted, it was an appetizer portion, but still...

Edward was about to say something else, but a deep voice cut him off.

"Well, well, well. Look at what we have here." Jacob Black stood at our table with a wide grin.

I had only met the man once, but I had heard so much about him, I felt like he had always been my enemy.

Edward went completely still, and his face looked like it had turned to stone. With his shoulders hunched and his jaw clenched, he almost reminded me of a menacing gargoyle that would be on top of a massive church somewhere in Europe.

"I can't believe I ran into you two. I was just thinking about the last time we saw each other, Edward." Jacob patted him on the back.

Edward cringed so violently from Jacob's touch that I thought he was having a seizure, but he didn't say a word.

"If I recall correctly, you tried to beat the shit out of me for... some flowers or something like that." Jacob was playing games and knew that he was affecting Edward immensely.

When Edward didn't say anything still, Jacob turned to me.

"And how are you?" he asked politely.

"Good and you?"

"I've been better. The cold's killing me, but I'll survive. I've only met you once, and yet everyone always has such nice things to say."

"Everyone?"

"You know... the locals," he said cryptically. "How's school?"

"Fine. I'm almost done with my first year." It was so strange to sit here and speak with this man about something as normal as the weather or school.

I felt Edward's leg bouncing under the table. I tangled my legs in his to keep him calm. I knew that he was staying quiet so he didn't cause a scene. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Benny sit up slightly in his chair a couple feet away. He would never make himself known unless we were attacked.

"You should be proud. The Northwestern curriculum is really difficult," Jacob said as if he was really delighted for me.

I nodded cautiously and didn't really say anything back, but then realized that he wasn't planning on going away.

"I didn't see you at the police ball. Were you sick?" I asked.

His lip twitched. "No, I... don't really go to those things."

"It was really fun."

"Yeah, well, I don't associate myself with those members of the department who consider some of the city's scum their friends," he said proudly.

Edward's teeth ground together loudly, and I peeked a look at him. His face was turning red. As long as we didn't reach purple territory, I knew we were safe. I had maybe half a minute before it got serious. Jacob needed to leave now.

I gave a tight smile. "Thank God for Carlisle giving all that money to you guys. Who knows how hard it would be to fight crime without the proper funds?"

Jacob didn't have anything to say to that, and his eyes darkened.

After another awkward pause, I was seriously considering getting up from my side of the booth and going to sit with Edward. His hand was clenched around the end of a knife on the table. I knew that he would kill Jacob in a second if he didn't leave.

"Well, it was nice seeing you both." Jacob nodded to me.

"You, too."

"I'll be around." He spoke mostly to Edward before fixing his jacket and leaving. I watched him walk through the tables until he reached the door.

Edward didn't breathe for a full minute. I counted.

His eyes were so dark that they almost looked forest green, instead of their normal bright color. He was just... sitting there, in stone.

"Edward?" I tested the waters. "Are you okay?"

He nodded once.

I kept my legs around his and felt them vibrate in anger.

Edward slammed a closed fist on the table, rattling the glasses and silverware. Several people looked our way, but quickly went back to their meals.

I got up from my seat and went to sit next to him. "Edward, do you need to go outside?"

"No, I'm fine." He closed his eyes.

I ran my hands through his hair and actually felt him melt at my touch. His anger was still there, but I could sense that it was ebbing.

"Are you sure you don't need to go outside? I'll leave with you." I pressed my lips to his jaw.

"I can't believe he had the nerve to approach us. I could have killed him."

"He just wanted to get a rise out of you. You did perfect."

"I didn't say anything," he growled.

"Good, you would have probably gone overboard if you'd opened your mouth." I kissed him again, feeling the fury leave his body.

He exhaled heavily and I smiled to myself when I heard him doing the meditation breathing that he said he was so against a couple of days ago.

"You did great. You handled that amazingly." Edward opened his eyes and placed his hand on my leg.

"I didn't want you to get in trouble."

"Thank you." He kissed me shortly. "I don't know what I would do without you."

I made our kiss last longer when I felt him start to pull away. I wanted all recent memories of Jacob Black to dissipate. His hands drew pictures on my legs, and fire went through my jeans.

"Can we go home?" I asked after I almost moaned from his touches.

"My home, you mean?" he chuckled.

"That's what I said."

"No, since you moved out, it's turned to _my _home."

"Oh, we'll talk about that later." I slid out of the booth and went back over to my side to get my coat.

I pulled it on while Edward paid the bill, and I left a massive tip, like I said I would, for the poor boy that was tortured.

We were in the car and on our way a couple of minutes later. I suddenly remembered that if I was going to be staying at Edward's, I was going to need some clothes, so I asked him to stop over at my dorm.

"Do you need my help?" he asked when he screeched to a halt in front of my building.

"No, I think I can manage. Give me five minutes." I jumped out of the car and ran inside.

I swiped my card and got in the elevator, going up to my floor. The elevator finally dinged open, and I almost skipped out into the hall. I couldn't help it.

I got to my door and put the key in the lock. It slid in easily... too easily. I jiggled the door handle, and it was loose.

_This isn't right. _

I knew that something was wrong. My door was always secure, and the handle was almost about to fall off.

The door opened slowly, and I saw that my room was completely ransacked.

"What the hell?"

I didn't want to go in, but I couldn't help it.

Everything was a mess. I had recently unpacked, but my room looked like a tornado had ripped through, and then a stampede followed. I didn't know where to look first.

My clothes were flung around, the mirror on the wall was smashed, the bed was overturned, and my desk was completely unrecognizable and. It had gash marks going across it like someone had dug a knife through the wood.

There were feathers…everywhere. I didn't know what they came from, but they were floating in the air and it was almost as if it had snowed in my room. The feathers were pure white and clung to my clothes as I stepped through them.

This was the most bizarre thing I had ever seen.

I stumbled over my pictures that I had brought from home, which were obliterated, and went into the bathroom.

I starred at myself in the mirror, which was broken and had bloody streaks going across it diagonally. I could tell that it was blood because I could smell it. The rusty scent filled the air and almost made me throw up. I didn't know if the blood was animal or human, but it sure as hell was real, and there was a lot of it. The red liquid was dripping onto the counter. Everything in the bathroom was just as messy as in the bedroom.

I didn't even notice that I was shaking or that I had tears on my cheeks until I felt them fall from my face.

I went back into my room, into the feathers, and smelled a stench that was gag inducing.

I turned around in my room stupidly, not knowing what to do, but I had to find the smell. I didn't want to touch anything. I didn't know if I was allowed to. I picked up a shirt off the floor that was ripped to shreds and threw it aside.

My eyes were so filled with tears; it was hard to see.

I picked up the sheet that was from my bed and almost vomited.

There were two massive, pristine white birds that were underneath. They were headless and dotted in blood. The necks were long and their wings were extended to show their extension.

I dropped the sheet and had to stop myself from throwing up everywhere.

**Once I regained my bearings, **I patted myself down for my phone, but then realized that I had left it in the car.

_Edward!_

I rushed out of the room and slammed the door behind me. I didn't have time to wait for the elevator, so I nearly tripped my way down the stairs.

I could hear the sobs coming from my throat, but I tried not to let them come out like theywanted.

I made it outside and looked around the street for Edward. He wasn't in the same place he had dropped me off. I suddenly got very scared and frantically searched for his car.

I found him standing against the BMW on the opposite side of the street. I couldn't even bring my feet to move anymore.

I collapsed onto the cold pavement and just let the sobs rack my body.

"Bella." I felt warm arms around me. "What the hell happened? Are you alright?"

I couldn't answer him. I didn't know what to say.

"Bella, look at me." Edward lifted my head up and moved the hair out of my face. "You have to tell me what's wrong. Are you hurt?"

I shook my head.

"Then what is it? What's going on?"

"So... someone was in my room," I gurgled out.

"What do you mean?"

"It's... a mess and there's blood on the mirror and all my stuff is..." I couldn't even explain it.

Edward lifted me off of the ground and ran over to the car, placing me in my seat. "I'm going to be right back. I'll call Emmett, alright?"

I nodded, because I didn't really understand what he was saying.

"I'll be right back." Edward slammed the door shut; the car locked with surrounding clicks.

I watched as Edward ran across the street and into the building.

I slumped into the chair and wanted to hide myself from the world. I didn't know who was watching or what was going on. For the first time in a long time, I was scared.

I didn't know how much time had passed, but Edward didn't come back.

I wasn't crying anymore, although, my body was still shaking. I was being targeted. I knew that much a long time ago, but besides those fucking flowers, no one had done anything this bold. I knew that I would probably never be allowed to step foot inside that dorm again.

There was a tap on the window and I jumped in my seat. My heart beat rapidly until I realized that it was just Emmett.

He gave me a sad smile and waved. The car unlocked, and he opened the door.

"Rose is going to take you home, okay?" He helped me out of the car. His Hummer was running across the street with Rose in the driver seat.

"What's going on?" My voice was shaking.

"Edward is freaking out. He called me, but I couldn't understand much. I thought I should come check it out. Are you alright?"

"Yes," I lied.

He walked me to the Hummer and lifted me into the seat.

"Go straight home," he said to Rose, and she nodded.

Emmett shut the door, and we sped off down the street.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"I... don't even know." I didn't have an explanation for what I had just seen.

I told her what happened in my room, and she gaped at me the whole time. She was just as confused as I was, but more stunned than anything.

"Were there any calling cards?" she asked.

"No... I don't know. I didn't stay long enough to really see."

"All of your stuff was ruined?"

"Yeah, from what I could tell."

"Someone is trying to scare you shitless."

"Well, they succeeded." I sunk into my seat and wrapped my coat around me.

"Do you really think Edward is going to let anything happen to you? He's going to go insane."

"If... whoever could get to me here, then they can get to me anywhere. Why are they after me? What did I do?" I asked rhetorically.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Rose said genuinely, "I know this is hard."

I silently nodded and felt the tears sting my eyes again.

We arrived at the penthouse a couple minutes after that. I was still on edge, looking over my shoulder every second.

We finally made it inside of Edward's house and I felt safe. I pulled off my jacket and suddenly wanted to sleep, but I was trying to stay up for Edward. Rose stayed with me, and we sat on the sofa, not really talking.

"Here, drink this." She handed me a glass with some clear liquid in it.

I didn't ask what it was, but I could smell the alcohol. At this point, I would take anything that would get my nerves back to normal. The burn erupted in my throat as it slithered towards my stomach.

I drained the glass and then rested my head on the back of the sofa.

"Someone's trying to intimidate you." Rose leaned her head on my shoulder. "Don't let them scare you."

"I can't help it. What if..." I let my sentence trail off, because my mind started racing as my imagination created different scenarios. All the mob movies that I had ever seen suddenly flashed in my head.

Horse heads in beds, being strangled by piano wire, dangerous shootouts; did that stuff really happen? Of course it did. I knew it did, but none of that really hit home for me until today. I was a part of this underground world, just as much as Edward or Carlisle.

"What am I going to do?" I asked.

"Let Edward take care of things."

That was all I could do.

Over the next hour, Alice came in going crazy and being her normal dramatic self. She was going on and on about someone holding me ransom at gunpoint and me being dead. Jasper came as well and tried to calm her down, although, that was never really an option. I just let her talk. Alec and Esme came over soon after that. I guessed Edward had called them.

Being the mother that she was, Esme started cooking to soothe everyone. Soon, the wonderful smells of rich Italian food filled the apartment and put my queasy stomach at ease, butit wasn't enough to make me feel normal again. I wondered if Edward had found anything, but then again, I didn't want to know. What if there was a threatening note or something like that?

Edward couldn't protect me all the time. It was physically impossible for him to be with me at every hour of the day, although, he was going to try. Whoever wanted me scared had accomplished their goal. What was next?

As the sun went down, I was starting to get worried when we hadn't heard a word from Edward or anyone else for that matter. Esme tried to get me to eat, but I couldn't. I wasn't feeling too well and just wanted to sleep.

"I bet it was Aro," Jasper theorized as we sat around the table.

"Jasper, can we please not talk about that right now?" Esme begged.

"I'm just saying." He shrugged and twirled some pasta around his fork.

"Edward's going to find out who did this." Esme put her hand on top of mine.

I could only nod.

After dinner, we just sat around. There was nothing else to do.

Just as my eyes were about to drop close, the door banged open and shook the whole house. We all jumped off of the sofas.

Carlisle, Emmett, and Edward came through the door, but I couldn't tell what was going on from their faces. Of course, Edward looked pissed. The gargoyle from earlier this afternoon was back. He had the white feathers in his hair that were all over my room.

He didn't even speak to anyone and bounded up the stairs. I almost wanted to follow him, but I knew he was getting away from everyone because he was too angry to be civil. He was probably pissed beyond reason.

"What happened?" I asked Emmett.

"Uh... Edward's not taking this well." He shuffled his feet.

"Obviously. Did you find anything?" Rose gave him a hug.

Carlisle pulled Esme into the kitchen, which I found very strange. I knew something was going on.

"Just tell me." I was getting more scared.

"Well... Edward installed a camera outside of your door a couple weeks ago."

I was kind of stunned, but that sounded like something he would do.

"So, we know who it was, or we know what he looks like. We don't know_ him_. He came in while you were in class and left about an hour later."

"Was it Aro? I bet it was Aro," Jasper piped up.

"He just said he didn't know who it was." Alec rolled his eyes.

"Is there something else?" I asked eagerly. "There has to be something else."

Emmett actually blushed and looked at the floor. I could hear his deep voice say something, but I couldn't understand it.

"What? Speak up." Alice stood on the couch.

"They took your panties," Emmett said quickly. "All of them were gone. That was the only thing missing."

I felt really sick now, and I had to stop myself from falling over. My head was starting to spin wildly.

"Are you serious?" Rose's voice was angry. "That's disgusting."

"Whoever did this is just so inappropriate." Alice shook her head. "I can't believe that they would do that to you." She wrapped her arms around me, but it did little to calm my nerves.

"We should file a report... or something." Rose was furious. "I can't believe this."

"Did you see the birds?" I asked quietly and Emmett nodded.

"They were swans," he said sadly.

Everyone was talking really quickly about stuff that I didn't want to hear. I couldn't comprehend was going on, because there were so many answers that I wanted; needed.

Then, there was also that fact that someone had not only gotten into my room, but also touched and stole my underwear. What the hell did that mean? Was some sick perverted man trying to play a prank on me, or was this a message?

When Alice let me go, I slipped out of the room and stumbled up the stairs. I had to stop halfway up because I thought I was going to vomit. I stayed on the landing for a couple of minutes, trying to get my breathing back.

When I was okay, I knocked on the door of the library. There wasn't an answer.

"Edward, can I come in?" I asked in nothing above a whisper.

There was still no answer.

I pushed the heavy door open and found him at his desk. He was leaning back in the large chair and staring at one of the two computer screens with an intense gaze that was almost painful.

"I can't see you right now." His voice was scary. I literally shook.

I bit my lip, not wanting to say anything, but I closed the door behind me. I walked across the carpet until I was behind his chair and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I can't believe that this is happening." Edward said furiously. "I'm sorry."

"For what? This wasn't your fault."

"I promised to protect you, and I'm failing miserably. What good am I?"

"I'm not dead. I'm still here so you have to be doing something right."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm guessing you heard about what they took."

"Yeah. I feel... violated," I said truthfully.

"As you should," he growled. Edward leaned over and flicked the computer screen on.

There was a black and white video of the hallway outside of my room. There was nothing for a couple of seconds before a large man rounded the corner. He didn't have a mask or anything covering his face. He had dark hair and since there was no color to the video, it was hard to make out certain features. He was carrying a large duffle bag.

Edward and I watched as he went right up to my door, jimmied the lock expertly before slipping inside.

Edward sped up the video and the time stamp raced by an hour in seconds. The man came out of the room and just walked out like nothing had happened. He was carrying a bag that probably had my panties in them, and I almost threw up again.

The video went black after that.

Edward and I just sat there for a second, not knowing what to say.

"I'm going to kill him." His voice was eerily calm."I'm going to find the fucker and kill him."

I wanted to tell him that it wasn't worth it, but I doubted that would have made any difference.

Edward stood up from the chair and walked around the desk, pulling at his hair. "I was supposed to know about these things. You could have been in there. He could have walked in on you..."

As he usually did, Edward put all the blame on him. After a half hour, it was hard to hear him like this because he was literally beating himself over this.

"I can't believe that I didn't see this." He knocked his head against the bookshelves.

I got up from the chair and went over to him, pulling him away from the wall.

"Edward, you have to stop. I know you're mad, but you're starting to scare me." I ran my hand over the scar that he was beginning to get on his forehead.

"I can't tell you how mad I am right now."

"I know,"

Edward anchored my face with his hand, running the pad of his thumb over my cheek. "Bella, I promise that I won't let anything happen to you. I'm going to fucking kill anyone who comes near you."

"I don't want you to get hurt."

"Will you please stop thinking about me for one second?" He said sternly. "I don't care about me. I want you to be safe."

"I know you do. I'm just really scared for the both of us right now."

"You have nothing to worry about. I won't let anything hurt you."

His voice was so filled with conviction that I had no choice but to believe him.

* * *

**HOLY DEATH THREATS BATMAN**

**WOWZA. SCARY STUFF. WHO DID IT? WHY DID THEY DO IT? WHO COULD IT BE?**

**ONLY I KNOW THE ANSWERS. *CUE EVIL LAUGH*.**

**I GAVE YOU GUYS SOME LEMONADE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE BEEN MISSING IT.**

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR THE BETA'ING AND SCENE STEALING FROM SN**

**IM GOING TO TRY AND GET ONE CHAPTER OUT NEXT WEEK, BUT DON'T EXPECT IT ON TUESDAY. MAYBE FRIDAY, MOST LIKELY NOT. RIGHT NOW, JUST BANK ON NO UPDATES NEXT WEEK. SORRY. BLAME REAL LIFE**

**THANKS TO ALL THE READERS WHO ALERT AND REVIEW. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT.**

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	37. Chapter 36

Pyscho-Chemical Torture

EDWARD POV

_"Peace, above all things, is to be desired, but blood must sometimes be spilled to obtain it on equable and lasting terms".-Andrew Jackson_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

I had watched this damned video probably a thousand times in two days. What else was I supposed to do?

I hadn't left the apartment and barely ate anything. I had become a recluse, a hermit, a bum; whatever you want to call it. The point of the matter was that I had been unhealthily sitting in front of my computer for what seemed like years.

I scratched my stubbly jaw and played the tape again. The mechanics never changed, but I felt like I was going to miss something if I didn't review it every five seconds.

The man with dark hair and indistinguishable features turned the corner of Bella's long hallway. He was carrying a large duffel bag and was just strolling along, like he actually belonged there. He even passed a student on her phone, but she didn't even give him a second thought.

_Couldn't she see he didn't belong there? _

The man pulled out a standard lock picking set from his coat and shoved the tools into the handle of room 913—Bella's room— before stepping in.

I sped up the tape so that an hour or so went by. I stopped it and watched the man leave Bella's room with glove-covered hands and the same duffel bag as before. Like earlier, he walked down the hall as if nothing had happened. He didn't even blink or twitch.

This was the part of the video when my breathing always increased, and my blood started to boil.

I closed my eyes and ran a hand over my heart, which was beating furiously. It had been for the past couple of days. I could feel the raised scribe of my tattoo under my fingertips and tried to settle my thundering heart.

I took several deep breaths and pushed the pain out of my chest.

Then, I played the tape again.

I had no idea who he was. I had never seen him before. I could see his face. I knew what he looked like, but that was it. I couldn't find him in any database that I knew of, although, I was working my fingers to the bone trying to find out.

The door of the library opened softly, but I didn't bother raising my head.

"Edward?" Bella's voice was thick with sleep. "What are you doing in here?"

"I'm working," I answered.

I heard her feet lightly pad over to me, and she enveloped my body in her arms, resting her chin on my shoulder. "You should be in bed."

"I can't. I feel like I'm missing something."

"You've been watching this thing for hours. You haven't even eaten."

"I want to protect you," was my robotic answer.

"You are and you're doing a good job, but you need to rest."

"I slept three hours last night." I typed on the keyboard, going through the police database and tried to match pictures.

"Three hours?" she asked, scolding.

"Medically speaking, that's all the human body needs."

"Edward, this isn't healthy. Let's go to bed." Bella took my hand and tried to pull me up from the chair.

"No, I can't. I'm almost through," I tried to placate her, "just give me another hour."

She gave me a suspicious look on the other side of the desk. "Do you really expect me to believe that? That's what you said last night and you still didn't come to bed."

"I'm fine."

"You're getting sick. You look like you're about to fall over."

"I just need to find out who he is. I won't be able to rest until I do."

She clicked her tongue against her teeth, thinking of a way to get me into bed. Her latest attempt, last night, had involved sex, but even that wasn't enough to pull me away from my computer. If that wasn't any indicator as to how much I wanted to catch this fucker, then I don't know what was.

"Aren't you bored?" Bella sighed.

"No, this is fun," I replied sarcastically.

"And nothing can get you to get off of the computer?"

"No."

"Not even this?" My eyes flashed to the thick magazine that she had pulled from the mail on my desk.

"What's that?" I asked, trying not to be too inquiring.

"The new Armani catalog." She thumbed through it. "There are some very nice things in here."

"Do you really think you can pull me away with fashion?" I half-heartedly chuckled.

"Weren't you just saying that you needed some new clothes?"

"Yes, but they can wait."

"It's the new spring line; it's _Armani,_ Edward," she stressed.

"I realize that, and after I find the fucker who broke into your room, I'll be more than happy to buy everything that they have."

Bella threw the magazine down on the desk. "Fine. I'm going back to bed. Don't drop dead at your computer. Good night."

"Good night to you too." I rolled my eyes at her dramatics and went back to watching the stupid video.

Good thing it was Saturday and I didn't have to worry about her going to school. I wouldn't be able to function if I was worrying all day.

I had so many… emotions going through my body that I didn't know how to deal with them. I was angry, of course, confused, and for a split second, scared. Bella didn't need this. She was supposed to be a normal freshman, going to parties and having fun. Instead, she was stuck in my penthouse, a prisoner to the dangers of the mob world.

As of now, she had nothing material to her name. We weren't able to salvage anything from her dorm. All of her clothes and personal effects were damaged beyond recovery. After Emmett and I cleaned up the wreckage, I went into full protective mode.

I was trying to keep a cool demeanor, but that wasn't working too well. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest every time Bella went out of the apartment, and I was about to just lock us all in here. That wouldn't do much though; we would drive each other crazy.

I hadn't gotten around to buying Bella new things, but there was no doubt about in my mind that I would. It was my fault that she fell into this position, so I was going to make it up to her any way I could. I was just lucky that she hadn't jumped ship yet. Any other normal girl would have left my ass months ago. Esme called it "true love". I didn't know if there was a difference between that and "regular" love, but I'm sure Bella and I had it. There was no other way to describe us.

I sighed and got back to work.

I would have loved to have a drink right about now, but Bella had given all my alcohol to Emmett. It nearly killed me to watch my thousands of dollars of premium brands carted out of the door. Bella was adamant about me getting my body healthier. I didn't see the problem, but I guess she was right. I didn't live a very body-conscious life.

Sometime around three in the morning, I was struggling to keep my eyes open, so I turned off my computer and trudged to bed.

There was light coming from underneath the bedroom door, and I found Bella in between the sheets, reading. I shut the door behind me and climbed in next to her. She didn't say a word.

"What are you reading?" I asked as my head hit the pillow.

"_East of Eden._" She bit her lip in thought, and I watched as her eyes continued to scan the page.

I changed tactics completely. "You know I'm just doing this to protect you, right?"

"I know. I'm not worried about me," she said. That's what she _always_ said.

"I'll be fine."

Bella laughed from her throat. "I'm not worried about you either. You're like a cockroach; you'll never die."

"Well thank you… I think."

"I'm scared for Charlie," Bella sighed, putting her book down. "If they can get to me, then they know about him. They might hurt him."

"I have people watching him."

"You have people watching me. That didn't seem to help."

I ground my teeth together at her statement. She was unintentionally making me feel even shittier.

"I promise to keep you and your family safe. I dragged you into this, so I'll take care of it."

"I know you will, but I'm just over-thinking, like I always do." I felt her fingers softly rake through my hair. "What if they want to threaten him or something?"

"They won't… whoever they are," I said firmly.

"How do you know?"

"Because he's a police officer. I'm sure if your father was any other man, he would probably already be dead by now."

Bella took in a small breath of shock.

"But he's an officer who has eyes on him. Even if they did get close, if he died, there would be a lot of questions that no one is prepared to answer right now. They're scared of you."

"Of me? What did I do?"

"You have information and in our world, that's the most important thing."

"I don't understand."

"If your father was killed, you could go to the cops here or just start spilling things that shouldn't be mentioned. Maybe for revenge or out of hatred, but it doesn't matter. You could bring a lot of people down."

"You included," she joked.

"Especially me, but they're worried that I'll give you information on them. You're a very powerful person."

"Why?"

"Because you're in between two worlds. You could skip out on all of us in a second and go to the Feds."

"What about Alice? She's the same as me. Why doesn't she ever get threatened?"

"Because there's no draw to Alice." I ran my thumb over Bella's cheek. "You're with me and that alone is worth a bunch. Plus, there's the fact that you're younger. They think you're impressionable and can easily be influenced. Everything about you is something that they will prey on. I'm sure they weighted the cost of going after Alice, but you must have been their main target."

She gave me such a sad look that it almost killed me. "I never did anything to anyone."

"I know. I hate that you're involved in all this."

"All I want is you." She moved so that she was resting on my chest. "Sometimes I wish I could just leave you behind."

I didn't know what to say to that. I didn't want Bella to go, because she was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I wasn't afraid to admit that—not anymore. I was a horrible person without her, and I needed her to keep me on the straight path. With all of that said, if she wanted to leave, I would have to let her. There was no way for me to keep her tied to me. Of course, I would fight to change her mind, but I hoped it never came to that.

"I wouldn't, but I wish I could. I must have a self-preservation chip missing from my brain." She said.

"We all do." I sighed, "I should have gotten out of this years ago."

"I worry about you all the time." She kissed the tattoo on my chest, right over my heart.

"I worry about you," I admitted.

"I know you do. I need to tell Charlie what's going on."

"I knew you were going to say that."

"He needs to be aware, Edward." She lifted her head to look at me. "I can't just let him walk around without knowing what he's getting himself into."

"You can't do that. We can't risk it, especially with your father. He would kill us all, not to mention he could probably take you away from me."

"I'm an adult. He can't do anything." Bella got cutely defensive. "We don't have to go into specifics, but he needs to know that there's a chance of him getting hurt. I've been so selfish."

"Bella, I know you're scared for him, but you can't tell him anything. It would risk everything."

"What am I going to do?"

"We're going to get through this shit, and then, things will go back to normal."

"Normal?"

"Well… you know what I mean."

"Yeah." She breathed in deeply, and I could feel her body start to relax in sleep. I followed soon after.

I woke up in the same position that I had fallen asleep in. I looked over at the clock and saw that it was almost one in the afternoon. I usually never slept that late. Of course, I usually didn't stay up until daybreak trying to investigate a robbery.

I tried to disentangle myself from Bella's limbs without waking her, but that didn't go over so well. She was gripping me so tightly that I had to clumsily try and roll around until I was free.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked sleepily.

"I need to get up."

"No, let's just stay here all day."

"I can't. I have work to do."

"Another day on the computer?" she grumbled.

"No, I have other work," I lied and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

"You're just going to spend your Saturday on the computer, watching that video. It's time to give it up, Edward." She propped herself on her elbows.

"I won't get into that right now. I don't want to fight about something you won't win."

I went into the bathroom and did my morning routine. For the first time in a long time, I didn't have anything planned in regards to real work, so I just stayed in my boxers and followed the smells that were coming from the kitchen where I found Bella making coffee.

I sat at the breakfast bar and watched her.

She didn't turn to me, and I could tell that she wasn't too pleased.

"I don't mean to beat a dead horse but, I'm trying to keep you safe," I exhaled.

"I know. I'm not mad. I just don't want you to get fixated on this guy and neglect everything else."

"I fixate on things." I shrugged.

Bella was about to say something, but a loud knock on the door sounded throughout the apartment. We looked at each other before I got up and mumbled to the door. I would have been more pissed if it wasn't so late in the afternoon. I had to keep reminding myself of that.

I went to the door and pulled it open to see Rosalie standing there with a toothy smile.

"You should really ask who it is before you answer the door." She put her hands on her hips.

"Fine." I slammed it in her face and walked back into the kitchen.

"Who was that?" Bella asked, pulling a pot out to make eggs.

"No one." I sat back down.

Since my door magnetically locked every time it closed, there was no way that Rosalie could just come in without knocking again. That's what she did, but I made no move to get up to answer it.

"What did you do now?" Bella laughed and went to get the door.

Rosalie appeared in the kitchen a couple seconds later with a red face and pissy attitude. She was wearing a diamond tiara on the top of her head and from the looks of it, the fucking thing was real.

"You're such a dick," she spat at me.

"Thank you."

"Edward, stop it," Bella said. "What do you want, Rosalie?"

She calmed down and smiled. "It's my birthday, in case you two forgot."

"Oh, great. It's the Princess' birthday. Let's all stop and bow." I got up from my seat and poured myself a cup of coffee. I leaned against the counter and sipped it while Rosalie fumed.

"You know what, Edward, I wouldn't expect you to care. I didn't come to see you anyway." She turned away from me. "_Bella_, it's my birthday today."

Bella quickly ran into the hallway and came back with the large Louis Vuitton box. It had a massive red bow around it. She set the box on the counter in front of Rosalie.

"Of course I didn't forget."

"Is this for me?" Rose squealed.

"Who else would it be for?" I rolled my eyes.

She glared at me. "Just because you have no friends to celebrate your birthday with doesn't mean you have to be so nasty."

"I'm the nasty one? I can't…"

"Edward," Bella stopped me before I could vent, "let's not start this today. Just open your gift, Rose."

She quickly unwrapped the box and held the nice purse in her hand. She couldn't even speak; I was happy to find something to finally shut her up.

"Happy birthday." Bella smiled. "It's from Edward too."

"Well… thank you." She hugged Bella, but still leered at me.

"I'm not a total prick." I grinned.

"Yeah, right. This is the first nice thing that you've ever done for me."

"And probably the last. I would have given you some type of gag gift, but Bella wouldn't let me."

"He was going to buy you some herpes medication." Bella shook her head. "It wasn't very funny."

"I thought it was," I said under my breath.

"Well, I love this bag. I'll use it all the time," Rosalie said. I could hear the vanity dripping from her voice.

"I'm glad you like it. Do you want to stay for breakfast?" Bella offered, coming back over to the stove to cook the eggs.

"No, Emmett's taking me out." She put the purse back in the box and started wrapping it up again, "We're going to Plasma tonight. You're all invited."

"Even me?" I gave her some fake enthusiasm.

"Even you," she replied sarcastically. "After this wonderful gift, I might even be pleasant on occasion."

"I can't wait."

"Shave and clean yourself up," she commanded. "You're not going out like that."

"You can't tell me what to do. In my house, no less." I scoffed.

"Bella, thank you; Edward, you're an asshole." Rosalie walked out of the kitchen with her gift.

"Happy birthday!" I shouted as the door shut.

"If you two hadn't already slept together, I would make a joke that you should get a room. I think that might be a little strange, though," Bella snickered.

"That would be completely inappropriate," I teased.

"Yes, it would be." She began cracking eggs skillfully with one hand. "So, can we go to Plasma?"

"It's going to be a logistical nightmare to keep up with you all night, but I guess." I hated to feel like Bella's warden, but I was the expert in keeping things safe. That included her.

Bella and I sat down to a large plate of eggs and French toast. I didn't know I had that stuff in my kitchen arsenal, but Bella found it and cooked everything she could. She said I needed to eat healthier so she wouldn't allow me to put salt or excessive amounts of syrup on my food. Plus, milk was on the menu for a beverage. Needless to say, I was not having a good morning.

"It's not that bad, Edward." Bella smiled around a piece of French toast.

"There's no flavor," I grumbled with some eggs in my mouth.

"Well, I'm looking out for you."

"And I thank you, but I'm sure a little salt won't hurt." I made a reach for the shaker. Bella quickly moved it out of my grasp.

"Just eat the food. I cook with seasoning." She glared.

"This is so good." I chewed on some French toast and just for added effort, downed the whole glass of milk.

So, from my calculations, Bella and I had the most complex and convoluted relationship in the world. I was her warden, but in turn, she treated me like her child. How the hell did that work? Whatever was going on, we seemed to have some sort of sync together. I couldn't really complain.

"So, are we going tonight?" Bella asked hopefully.

"Would you like to go?"

"Yes. I don't want to spend another night here with you on that computer."

"Alright then. But I'm not shaving, just to spite Rose."

"I think the scruff is kinda sexy." She ran her hand along my jaw.

"Well, I'm glad you think so." I leaned into her touch, letting the bristles on my face scratch her palm.

After our breakfast, I helped Bella clean up, and we were at a loss for what to do next. I was itching to get back on the computer, but I refrained.

We sat on the couch, like an old married couple. I watched the news and Bella read her book. All we needed now was 2.5 kids and a golden retriever.

_Yeah, right. _

Sometime around six that night, Alice was pounding on the door to be let in.

I was still in my boxers—not caring—and went to answer it. From the incident this morning, I just cracked the door and poked my head out.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"Can I come in?" she replied skeptically.

"No, I'm naked."

"Oh," she said, confused, "oh, gotcha. A little sexin' time?"

"Alice, we're all clothed, and you can come in." Bella pushed me aside and opened the door fully.

"You're so weird, Edward," Alice giggled.

I went to plop myself back down on the couch.

"I was just stopping by to see if you guys were coming out tonight?" Alice asked.

"You could have called," I said.

"Yes, we are," Bella answered more politely.

"Do you need my help getting dressed?"

"No, I've got it. It's not like I have that many clothes anyway." Bella shrugged.

"Are you sure? I bet Rosalie has something you could wear."

"It's okay."

"Alight, well, we're leaving at eight to go have dinner and then out of Plasma, so be ready," Alice shouted on her way out of the door.

Bella and I stayed on the couch for a long while before getting up to shower. That turned into an hour long touch/lick/bite/fondle/sex play date. That was fun. Going against my OCD nature, I didn't shave. I had to stop thinking about it or I would have quickly done a botched job.

After our shower, I dressed in a black Armani suit and reminded myself to have a secret look at their new catalog that Bella was waving in front of my face last night. I kept it simple with basic slacks and a jacket. It was just Rosalie so no need to go all out.

Bella wore some jeans that almost looked like they were painted on. I had never seen those before, but I definitely wanted to see them again. She wore a regular shirt that she covered up with her favorite, black, leather military jacket.

"Which shoe?" Bella held up a black ankle boot and another shoe that went above her knee.

"You know you can't walk in those." I pointed to the ankle boot with the impressive heel.

She scowled at me. "Just for that, I'm wearing them." She put on one shoe that raised her height and then the other.

I sat on the bed and waited for her to get ready.

"Just because I fall all the time doesn't mean I can't walk right," Bella explained to me. "I'm convinced it's an ear-balance type thing."

She was very jittery tonight, so I took her hand and pulled her towards me.

I looked up at her. "Calm down."

"I can't. You've got me all nervous. What if something happens?"

"Nothing is going to happen. We always have a plan in place, and if someone is stupid enough to try us on our own turf…" I let my sentence trail off eerily.

"You're a very bad boy. Good thing you go to church because I'm sure you'd be going straight to hell."

"You have no idea how much of a bad boy I can be." I smoothed my hands up Bella's jean-covered thighs and around so that I could cup her ass.

"Edward, we can't start this now."

My eyebrow shot up when I glided my fingers over the planes of her butt. "No panty line?"

She grinned. "Thong."

"Holy shit…" I breathed shakily and gripped her hips. "First the jeans, then the shoes, and now the thong? You're killing me."

"We have to leave soon." Bella's fingers brushed through my hair. Actually, she was more like gripping now.

"I don't want to," I admitted and turned her slightly so that my hands didn't have to reach so far to hold her perfect ass.

"Rose is going to be pissed."

"She always is." I leaned in and kissed the soft skin of her hips that was peeking out from under her shirt.

"Really pissed…" Bella's breathing was fleeting. My magic was working.

I bit on the luscious apple of her butt, and my teeth sank into her jeans. She let out a small yelp, but didn't dare pull away.

"Hey, hey. You two better stop that," Emmett said at my door.

I jumped back slightly from surprise, and Bella blushed ten shades of strawberry red.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" I shot up from my spot, angry that he had interrupted what was sure to be a very adventurous roll in the sheets.

"I'm making sure you're ready to go." He leaned against the door jamb. "Having fun?"

"I should have never given you that key." I took Bella's hand and started down the stairs.

We put on our coats and got in the elevator. Alec, Alice, Jasper, and Rose were waiting for us in the lobby. We split up in the cars with Alec coming with Bella and I.

We were off on the road to Rose's favorite restaurant for dinner. I was planning on just staying quiet for most of the night, because I might say something stupid if I tried to act fake and put on a smile.

We sat at a long table, and even though I kept most of my time occupied with Bella or Alec, it was kind of fun to forget all the shit we had been dealing with lately. There was always the nagging face of Bella's intruder in the back of my head, but I tried to at least act normal for the occasion.

Of course, everyone doted on Rose like she was some gift to us all with her damned tiara. I just let her talk without saying one word. It wouldn't be good for anyone if the Princess wasn't pleased.

It was around ten when we finished with dinner, and I knew that Plasma would be in full swing on a Saturday night.

"It feels so good to get out." Bella rolled down the windows of the BMW as we followed Emmett towards the club. Even though it was chilly out, the wind felt good.

"You're acting like I keep you locked up," I said.

"School and your house aren't necessarily being set free into the world."

"You walk from my car to your class. That's enough freedom."

"We need to get away. Let's go somewhere."

"I want to go to Mexico," Alec said from the back.

"No one was asking you," I sneered at him in the mirror. "Where do you want to go, Bella?"

"I don't know. I don't care."

"Alright, well, you and Alice have Spring Break at the beginning of April. That's in three weeks so we'll go then." I had already started making plans in my head.

"It has to be someplace sunny," she sighed longingly.

"Not the Bahamas," Alec laughed.

I reached in the back and just started punching whatever I could reach with one hand still on the wheel.

By the time we reached Plasma, Alec was complaining about bruises, Bella was fantasizing about sunny beaches, and I was ready to go home. Unfortunately, my night was just getting started.

"What happened to you?" Jasper asked Alec who was wiping blood from his lip.

"That son of a bitch tried to kill me." He pointed at me.

"You're fine." I rolled my eyes.

"Is everyone ready to party?" Rose threw her hands up in the air. She was already a little tipsy.

"Edward," Bella called me over from the car.

"What?" I asked her.

"I have to hold on to you." She grabbed my arm tightly. "My feet are killing me."

I laughed as we started off over the cobblestones. "I thought you could walk in them."

"You see I haven't fallen yet. I can suffer."

We bypassed the security guards and went through the crowds of people on the floor. Jasper led us all to our booth in the corner. It was circular and was big enough to hold our party plus more.

"Can I have a drink?" Alec asked.

"No," we all answered unanimously.

"Fine." He got up from his seat. "I'm going to dance." I saw him get lost in the crowd, and it wouldn't surprise me if he found a flirty girl within the next couple of minutes who would buy him a drink. He was sneaky like that.

Everyone split up to do their own thing. Alice and Jasper went to go dance. Emmett and Rosalie went to the bar while Bella and I stayed in the booth.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked and tapped her foot to the music.

"No. First of all, you can barely walk let alone dance. Second, I don't dance in public."

"What about the police ball? We danced there."

"That was real dancing. This is sex in public." I pointed to the floor where people were grinding and humping each other. "And thirdly, you don't like to dance."

"I like dancing with you. You make it easy."

"Well, that's very nice of you to say."

She smiled and pulled me by my shirt until my lips covered hers. Our tongues didn't even bother warming up before they attacked each other with vigor. She moaned, spurring me on; the pressure in my pants was increasing steadily as my cock grew hard.

"Bella, we need to stop," I warned.

"Why?" She moved her lips to my neck, licking and sucking where she wanted.

"Because if we don't, I'm going to take you upstairs and fuck you over my desk."

"I like the sound of that," she whispered.

"Fuck…" I groaned, and my head dropped back to give her better access to my skin.

"We haven't done it that way in a long time. Please."

I meant to answer, but I couldn't really think so I just nodded.

She took my hand, and we both stood up to leave.

Just like the cockblocker he was, Emmett came back to the booth, dragging Rosalie with him.

"Where are you guys going? It's time for the cake." He pushed me back down in my seat.

"I don't want cake," I said petulantly.

"Too bad," Rose barked.

Bella gave me an apologetic smile before sitting back down at my side. "Later." She kissed my lips.

"You promise; over the desk and everything?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she purred in a way that should be illegal.

We sat around for a while until a large cake with sparklers was brought out. We all sang 'Happy Birthday', and Rose soaked it up. More presents were given out and more alcohol was passed around, but I didn't have any. For one, the only other designated driver was Bella or Alec. Neither of which had permission to drive my car. Secondly, I was trying to stay sober. I had slipped up once or twice, but I was trying.

"Isn't this good?" Bella asked me as we ate some chocolate cake.

I nodded with a mouth full of food.

For some reason, I was getting very sleepy, and I was pushing myself to stay awake. I thought it had something to do with the fact that I had barely slept in the past three days, but it was more than that. My head was pounding, and I could actually feel my pulse as it pushed blood throughout my body. It was weird.

"Are you alight?" Alec asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine." It felt like there was a bubble in my chest that needed to be popped; a massive belch that I needed to get rid of.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and looked around the club, which was still pumping, just as the clock hit midnight.

Inexplicably, my senses were heightened, and I sniffed the air like a wild animal. I felt like I needed to. My hearing sharpened, and my eyesight honed.

As I scanned the crowd, I saw a man at the bar, who was looking straight at me with a sinister grin.

I would have recognized him anywhere. I better have. I had been memorizing his face for three days straight.

He had dark hair and a hook nose along with brown, almost onyx eyes. I could see them clearly in the light of the bar. His expression looked like he had ascended from hell just for a specific mission.

"Edward, don't move," Jasper whispered to me. "Don't cause a scene."

I was shaking so badly that my vision was starting to blur.

"Bella, I want you to go upstairs to my office and lock the door," I said lowly.

"Edward, are you alright?" She stuck her hand in mine. She saw what I was looking at as well. "Is that him?"

"Yes, and I need you to go upstairs. Keep your phone on."

She was about to say something else, but I cut her off.

"Just do what I say, and I'll be back to get you."

"Alright. Be safe."

She kissed me once, and then got up from her seat, followed by Rose and Alice. I saw them out of the corner of my eye walking up the stairs. The man's eyes at the bar also followed them. When they were out of sight, he turned back to me.

"It's your call, Ed," Emmett said.

"He dies," I answered without even thinking about it. "I'm doing it."

"Let's just get up calmly and not start anything in here." Jasper pulled his jacket on.

The man at the bar tipped his drink in our direction mockingly before downing it in an easy motion. His body shuddered for a second before he shot up from his seat and ran through the crowd away from us.

We catapulted out from the booth after him. I pulled out my Eagle as I jumped over the table. Emmett must've crashed into the birthday cake, because he had frosting on his clothes, but he didn't care.

We split up and covered more area as we pushed through the people on the dance floor, who were all oblivious to what was going on. I kept my gun low at my side and shoved myself towards the closest exit.

The cold air hit my lungs as I slammed through the door and looked around furiously.

"Where the hell did he go?" Jasper was at my side in a second.

"I don't know."

Both our heads turned when we heard a small "ping" in the air. No one would have noticed it if they were further away than we were and didn't know what they were listening to. Jasper and I knew that "ping" as the sound of a bullet firing through a silencer.

We rushed into the alleyway, guns drawn, and tried to find the source of the gunshot.

I saw a flash of movement and fired two shots. They bounced off of the wall and fell to the ground, but I kept running. I was getting skittish and fired off two more shots when I heard a sound to my left.

"Over here," we heard Emmett grunt. There was a lot of noise coming from a secluded corner of the backstreet.

Jasper and I found Emmett, along with Alec and the fucker as they struggled on the ground.

I pulled them all off of each other and grabbed the man by his shirt. "Who are you?" I shoved the butt of the gun into his temple. It was almost hard enough to cause brain damage, but he looked lucid enough to still be coherent.

"I don't answer to you." His voice was saturated with a European accent, which I knew immediately as Greek.

"Get up." I pulled him on his feet, and he stumbled to stand.

"I couldn't get a shot off," Alec said angrily. "He was too fast."

"What do you want to do with him?" Emmett asked.

"We're going to kill him," I said with a no-nonsense tone.

The man started to cackle loudly. "Do you really think I'm scared of you? I don't give a shit about you."

"You will."

He swung his arm around and pinned me to the opposite wall, but was quickly pulled off by Jasper, who started punching him in the face. I took over when I regained my bearings and just wailed on the guy, causing his face to slowly become bloodied and raw.

It took me about five minutes of good, hard thrashing for him to calm down enough for us to control him.

"I won't tell you anything," he slurred through a cracked jaw.

"Shut up. You'll talk soon enough," Emmett said, grabbing the guy's upper arms tightly and dragging him out of the alley.

"Take him to The Castle." I wiped my bloody hands on a handkerchief. "We'll deal with him there."

Jasper nodded. "Are you sure you want to do it like that?"

I didn't answer his question. "I'll drive the girls home and meet you there in about an hour."

I could hear our captive try to struggle as Emmett shoved him in the back of his car. Alec stuck his wrists in handcuffs so that he didn't try to escape again.

"We'll be waiting." Emmett got in the car and started it. Jasper and Alec got in the other one.

I watched them drive off down the street before I went back inside where the music was still pumping.

I felt uncannily calm, which meant that I was pissed beyond words. I had rarely felt this angry, but tonight was going to be another sleepless one.

The bubble in my chest was starting to expand, but I couldn't worry about that right now. I had to get Bella home.

I trekked upstairs to my office and knocked on the door. "Bella, it's me."

I heard a lot of movement on the other side before she opened the door only a sliver.

"Are you okay?" she asked and pulled me inside the office.

"I'm fine." I tried to hide my hands.

She noticed, but didn't say anything.

"Is everything alright? Did you get the bastard?" Rose asked.

"Yes, we're going to handle him later. I'm taking you all home now."

They scurried to get their stuff, and we were ready to go after a few minutes. I helped them into the car, and then got in myself.

The drive back home was silent, completely dead of noise. I think they were scared to say anything. I knew that the questions would be coming later, but as of now, I had no answers for them.

I parked on the street in front of my building. We got out and into the elevator.

"Don't open the door for anyone. If there's a knock, it's not from any of us," I told them. "You two are staying with Bella tonight."

They all nodded without words.

I let them into my penthouse and made sure everyone was settled in.

As I started to walk out of the door again, Bella caught my arm.

"Bella, I don't have time to explain things to you."

"I know, but…"

"I know you're scared. Just please let me handle this."

She nodded and hugged me tightly. "I'll wait up for you."

"No, go to bed. I'll be back before you wake up. I promise." I kissed the top of her head.

I was in the car and speeding out of the city a couple minutes later.

The Castle was a place that I rarely visited or even thought about. It was a place of pure evil, stuff of nightmares.

It resembled an actual, Scottish castle, and Carlisle had bought the mansion on a whim when it went on the market about a decade ago. He never did anything with it, so the place was completely barren. There wasn't any furniture or a sign that someone lived there. I don't even think Carlisle remembered that he had the place in his possession.

Now, any time someone mentioned The Castle, you knew that things were about to turn very deadly. You can kill someone anywhere. It didn't take that much secrecy to shoot a person in the woods or drop them in the river with cement shoes. Seclusion was needed for more malevolent practices. Believe it or not, there were worse things than death.

I blasted through the streets, and my hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that I couldn't feel any blood in them. It actually felt like I had no blood in my body at all.

The silhouette of The Castle was in the distance on a hill about twenty minutes away from my parent's house. It looked like someone had actually lifted it from Scotland and placed it in the suburbs of Chicago. The fucking thing even had a full moat. Just the thought of something like that here was laughable.

I drove up the hill, and the car started to jostle over the cobblestones of the driveway. I parked next to Emmett and Jasper's cars before taking off my jacket. I threw it in the back. I rolled up my sleeves and put my gun in the passenger's seat. There would be no need for it.

It actually took some effort to pull open the massive doors of The Castle_,_ and I shut them with a thud.

"Downstairs." Emmett's voice carried throughout the entire place.

It was cold and drafty. I could hear the sinks dripping, and it was oddly scary in the way that everything seemed to evoke the feeling you get in a haunted house. The stone walls and floor weren't incredibly inviting, but that's why we always came here for the more delicate jobs.

I walked down the spiral staircase until I was in the basement, which would have been the perfect location for the Spanish Inquisition. There were jail cells, complete with shackles and everything.

I went past all of them until I came to the giant rotunda in the very back of the basement. It looked like we were in the bottom of a well. The room was completely cylinder and shot up a couple stories. There was a large window at the very top, and I could see the moon overhead.

"We waited for you." Jasper was on his phone, texting or something.

"Has he talked yet?" I nodded to the man who was lying naked on a stone tablet. He had straps on his body to hold him down and a towel over his privates.

"Nope. He refuses," Alec sighed.

"Good." I went over to the cabinet on the other side of the room. "Can you start mixing the stuff for later?" I asked Emmett.

"Oh, boy. We haven't done this in forever." He got excited and almost skipped over to the table that held a bunch of things in jars.

I went through the cabinet and examined all the vials that were in it. This is where we kept the stash of medical supplies. There was normal stuff, such as penicillin, but also more questionable things that you didn't even want to touch without gloves.

I found the pancuronium bromide and LSD in the very back.

"Finally. "I pulled them both out, along with two clean needles in medical packages.

I dragged a chair over to the slab. The wood scraped against the stone floor, and I plopped myself down at the head of the table so that I was looking down at the fucker. I placed the supplies on a small stand next to me.

"I won't say a word," the man snarled.

I snapped on some gloves.

Alec was next to me in a minute with his gloves on and holding a small cup. "I don't know how to do this."

"Just pour it on when I tell you." I nodded to him.

"I won't say a word," the man snarled again.

I bent down closer to his ear so that I didn't have to raise my voice. "What's your name?"

"I won't say a word."

I didn't even bother getting angry or mad. I just gave Alec the go-ahead.

Sodium hydroxide, or lye, is a wicked substance. It's so perfect because in powder form, it was harmless. Of course, it wasn't a good thing to get it on your skin, but it wouldn't really hurt if you touched it. The real pain came from how you manipulated it.

Alec poured a small amount of lye on the bastard's chest. It was right in the middle of his stomach.

He looked down at the mound with inquisitive eyes, but didn't say anything.

"What's your name?" I asked again.

"I won't say a word."

I unscrewed the cap off of a water bottle and trickled a small amount on the lye.

It began to sizzle and smoke on the man's skin as he writhed around. He ground his teeth together and his back lifted off of the table, like he wanted to break free, but he wasn't going anywhere.

"Tell me what your name is, and I'll make it stop," I said as if I was concerned.

He didn't reply, so I poured a more liberal amount of water on his skin; the lye reacted violently. It started to burn so that we could hear it, and his flesh started to shrivel in the small space where the powder was starting to dissolve.

"It's Ciro!" he shouted through his teeth and banged his head on the table.

I took a cloth and wiped the lye off of his skin. I poured a couple drops of regular cooking vinegar over the area. The sizzle stopped.

"Good, and who do you work for?" I asked, getting ready to go through the motions again if I needed.

Ciro's breathing was harsh and ragged. His eyes weren't scared like I wanted, but he knew he was in trouble.

I gave him a minute to re-acclimate himself.

"How's it going over here?" Emmett asked as he pushed a gigantic tin tub into to the corner where Jasper was waiting. "We find anything out yet?"

"His name's Ciro," Alec replied.

"Greek," I said in explanation. We all knew who he worked for now, but I wanted to hear it.

"I won't say a word," Ciro said, just as firmly as before.

"Who do you work for?" I asked more snidely.

Alec moved his hand as if he was going to pour more lye on his skin, and Ciro flinched.

"I can't say," he muttered.

"You might as well. We're already going to kill you," I sighed. "If you just talk, we can make this a lot quicker."

"No."

"What were you doing in Bella's room?"

"I don't' know what you're talking about."

I gave another node to Alec who dumped a larger amount of powder on Ciro's skin, this time covering an area that was on his chest. I spread the powder out with my hand and sprinkled some water over his flesh.

It reacted just as it had before. It started to boil this time, and Ciro couldn't contain his cries as they echoed off of the walls. His skin was beginning to turn red as it burned with the substance and small bubbles started to burst.

"If we keep going like this, I'll burn a hole right through your body," I warned.

"I was paid to do that shit," he whimpered. "I was paid…"

"By who?" I slammed my fist next to his head. "Tell me who."

"I can't." He actually spit upwards, and I felt something slimy in my hair.

I snatched the cup from Alec and dumped the rest of the lye over half of Ciros' face haphazardly. The water came after it.

The screams that were flying around us were cringe worthy, but that didn't mean anything to me.

I watched as his entire face melted away. His lips became raw, and I could actually see the bone of his cheek on the left side as the flesh peeled off.

I remembered the video that he had stared in. He was in Bella's room. He had touched her things. He had stolen her underwear.

I wanted to make him beg.

"Tell me," I yelled over his beseeching for relief.

"It was Felix and Demetri. They paid me." He shook like he was having a seizure.

A shock of anger hit my body, and I had to remind myself that I couldn't just get up and leave.

"Make it stop." He writhed around like an ant under a heated magnifying glass.

"What were you ordered to do?" I asked.

"Scare her. That's it," he answered pleadingly. "I don't even know who she was."

"Was Aro is on this?"

"Of course he was. Those boys don't do anything without his permission." He was actually crying now, and his upper lip was completely gone. I could see the top portion of his teeth along with the muscles in his face. His eyeball on that side was starting to limp to the side as the skin around it melted away. Even his hair was burning and smoked like he was on fire.

"What does he want with her?"

"I don't know, honest. Make it stop." Ciro tried to get out of his bindings.

"We're ready when you are." Jasper said.

"Anything else you want to divulge?" I asked as I sat back up and drained the pancuronium bromide in the now unpackaged needle.

"Make it stop!" he screeched.

I jabbed the needle into his arm and pushed the top down until there was no liquid left. I followed that with a LSD cocktail.

Pancuronium bromide was a substance that rendered the body completely paralyzed, but left the mind alive. It denies you any physical movement or escape from your thoughts. LSD would put his imagination on such a trip that he wouldn't be able to distinguish nightmares from reality. As long as he was medicated, he would be in a constant state of terror and wouldn't be able to move a muscle.

"It'll take ten minutes before he's ready." I stood up and took off my gloves, throwing them in the trash. I grabbed a towel and wiped the fucker's spit out of my hair.

Ciro's eyes glazed over but his body didn't stop twisting.

"Where are you going?" Emmett asked me.

Instead of answering, I went into the corner where the bath of a clear liquid was waiting for Ciro.

"Ten minutes, and then put him in the saline." I said to Jasper when he came over. I dipped my finger in the solution and made sure that it was body temperature.

"We haven't used this trick in years."

"It's necessary."

"You really want him to suffer, don't you?"

"I wish I could sit here and watch."

"Where are you going?" He asked.

I bit my lip so that I wouldn't say anything.

"Edward, don't do something stupid." He stood in front of me.

"Just make sure the fucker begs you before you kill him." I walked out of the rotunda.

I made it upstairs and got in the car before backing out of the driveway quickly. I was on my way towards my final destination and checked the clock on my dash.

It was three.

As I sped down the road, my heart seemed to be jumping out of my chest the closer I got to where I needed to be.

Around three-thirty, a small grin appeared on my face when I realized that Ciro was probably on the verge of insanity right about now.

Saline was a viscous fluid, which was what they used in breast implants. It was gooey and was like liquid plastic. With his unresponsive form, Ciro was lying in it like a normal bathtub. Since it was body temperature, the stuff enveloped him entirely. He was deprived of all sensory input whatsoever and was essentially, a "brain in a bath-tub". He was consciousness, floating in total darkness, total silence; total emptiness.

He would go completely insane before the sun came up.

I arrived at the gates of Aro's house about an hour later. He lived far outside of the city, but I made it in good time. I wasn't letting him, Demetri, or Felix get away with this.

No one messed with my Bella.

I was debating on how I should get inside and figured that a more cordial approach would be better. I rang the bell outside of the gate.

"Hello," a butler answered.

I spoke into the box. "I'm here to see Aro."

"And who may I ask is requesting an appearance?"

"Edward Cullen."

It took a long time for the gates to open, but when they did, I blasted through them and up the driveway.

I grabbed my gun, not bothering to hide it and jumped out of the car. I went through the door, which was waiting open for me.

"Where is he?" I asked the butler.

"Who, sir?" He shut the door. "I can help you if you asked."

"Aro. Where is he?"

"In the study, sir. I'll take you there."

"I don't need your help." I had been through the house before, so I knew where to go. I stomped towards the library in the back of the house and barged through the door.

Aro was sitting at his desk, nursing a glass of something orange in color.

"Hello, Edward," he said in that creepy tone, which you would think came from a vampire. "How can I help you at this hour?"

"Look, I don't care if you threaten me or send your goons to do your bidding, but when you terrorize my family, I feel the need to put my foot down."

"Would you like a drink?" He took a sip of his. He was in a red robe like he had just woken up from his coffin.

"No, I came here to kill your sons, but I thought you should know."

"They aren't here, Edward."

"Where are they?"

"I'm entertaining someone, but they went on a vacation to China. They just left two days ago."

"You're stashing them away?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'll kill them just like I killed your friend Ciro. Tell me where you're hiding them," I commanded.

Aro raised an eyebrow. "I was wondering how long he would last."

"Leave Bella alone," I warned. "She has nothing to do with this. You had no right to hurt her the way you did."

"She's fine." He drained the rest of his glass and stood up, walking towards his desk. "I left her alive."

"She's terrified out of her mind!"

"Not my problem. Did you see me complaining when your father sent guards over here to storm my house?"

"That was years ago. Leave that shit behind. If you want to go after someone, then start with me."

"Are you planning on shooting me, Edward?" He sat in his large chair.

"No, I told you that I'm here for your sons. Tell me where they are."

"In China. Did you come alone?"

"No," I lied.

"Really? Because if you did, that would be incredibly stupid." Aro opened up the top drawer of his desk, pulling out a massive gun that put my Eagle to shame.

I was about to say something else, but the bathroom door opened from across the room and Jacob fucking Black walked out, wiping his hands on a cloth.

I was stunned out of my mind and couldn't even bring myself to words.

"Well this is a surprise," Black chuckled darkly. "I thought it was going to take you ages to get here. I've been waiting for two days."

My breathing was coming out in short rasps, and I was so pissed that my blood was beginning to literally boil.

"I told you he wouldn't be able to stay away." Aro got up from his desk and went to pour himself another glass of something.

"Now that we're all here, we can have our talk." Black sat in a chair.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I said in nothing more than a whisper. I couldn't speak any louder. For the first time in my life, I didn't know what my next move was.

There were words being spoken, but I couldn't hear them. My brain was clouded over in a thick fog.

The bubble that had been present in my chest all night erupted in one explosion that shot a pain up my left arm; I could hear my pulse thundering in my head.

I gripped the side of the desk as my knees started to give out.

The pain provided a heavy, strangulating, suffocating experience that caused me more agony than I had ever felt in my entire life. I must have been flailing around for a couple of minutes, but it felt like years. The pain didn't stop. It only grew as I struggled to keep my breathing normal.

"What's wrong with him?" I heard Black ask. "What the hell's going on?"

"I think our friend is having a heart attack..." Aro's voice was drowned out by the pain that was spreading through my shoulder and neck.

Dizziness was the last thing I felt before I completely blacked out.

* * *

**I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SPEECHLESS**

**HEAVY CHAPTER. THIS WAS A FUN ONE TO WRITE. AND NOW LOOK AT WHERE THAT LEAVES IS ON THE FLOOR WITH A HEART ATTACK. THIS CAN ONLY GET BETTER FROM HERE. I LOVE KEEPING YOU GUYS ON EDGE. **

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	38. Chapter 37

The Old Man and the Wheelchair

BELLA POV

_"He is so old that his blood type was discontinued."-George William Curtis _

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

I was frantically breathing in the elevator as I rode upwards towards the sixth floor. My head was about to explode, and I almost couldn't take the suspense. I seemed to be going slower and slower… when all I wanted to do was hurry this process up.

When the doors finally dinged open, I raced through the illuminated halls of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

I almost tripped over myself at the desk. Since it was so early in the morning, there was barely anyone around.

"Hello." I tapped my hand in front of the nurse who was reading a fashion magazine.

"Welcome to Northwestern Memorial Hospital," she said robotically. "This is the Intensive Care Unit. We specialize in intensive care. If you are not supposed to be here, please let me know, and I can direct you to where you need to go." She didn't even look up from her magazine.

"I'm supposed to be here. I'm looking for Edward Cullen. Do you know where his room is?" I was out of breath and frustrated.

"Are you family?" She popped some gum.

"No, but his father called…"

"I'm sorry. You can't get in unless you're family." She finally raised her head and gave me an annoyed look.

"Right, I understand that, but I need to see him."

"You can't be let in," she said pointedly.

"His father called me from this hospital. I'm a fucking student here. Please…" I begged.

"No, you can't be let in and furthermore, I don't think we even have an Edward Cullen here. I've been at this spot all night, and no one new has come in."

"Just check."

She popped her gum again without moving. "I'm not wasting my time. He's not here."

I leaned over the desk, but made sure to keep my hands away from her, because I was about to slap this bitch. "I need you to check your records again because he's here, and I'm not leaving until I see him."

"He's not here," she insisted. "Do I have to call security?"

"Probably." I went around the desk and pushed her rolling chair out of the way. I had no idea what I was looking for on the computer, but that didn't stop me from typing on it furiously.

"Excuse me. Are you insane? Did you escape from the twelfth floor or something?" She elbowed me, but I wasn't budging.

"I told you why I was here and you refuse to let me see him."

She was on the phone in a second, talking very loudly to who I assumed to be someone from security. That only made me type faster.

"You're insane." She pushed me again. This time it was too hard for me to stay upright, and I stumbled away from the computer.

"Which room is he in?" I was almost at screaming level.

I didn't know what was wrong because Carlisle wouldn't tell me over the phone, but I guessed it was something serious. Edward was in a fucking hospital. He would never go to the hospital consciously. This would have been so much easier if I had brought my phone, but I ran out of the house so quickly that I forgot it. I didn't know Carlisle's number by heart.

''There is a certain way of doing things and you have to follow protocol. Your _Edward _isn't here," she sneered.

"Is everything alright, Maureen?" A nurse poked her head out from behind a corner.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"No, can you tell me where Edward Cullen is?" I asked the new nurse. "She can't seem to do anything."

"Oh, um, well are you family?"

"Yes, I'm his wife," I lied easily.

"She's lying," Maureen snapped.

The new nurse looked between us with confused glances. "Okay…." she drawled.

We just stood there and I was about to cry. I really was. From frustration or anger or worry, I wasn't sure but the tears were about to flow.

"Ma'am, I'm not sure if we can help you," New Nurse said apologetically.

"Fine." I started to walk off, but instead of going back to the elevators, I started opening every door I could reach.

"Stop that." Maureen was busy shutting them behind me.

"Tell me where he is. His name is Edward Cullen, and he's supposed to be here. I got a call from his father, and he told me to come down."

"We don't have a patient by that name," she growled.

"Yes, you do."

This was getting very old, very quickly.

I was on the sixth or seventh door—I wasn't sure—when I heard the familiar sound of Italian loafers on tile, which was uncommon in a hospital.

I looked around frantically for the man who I knew the shoes belonged to.

Carlisle rounded the corner with his head bowed and his hands jammed into the pockets of his jeans. He looked more identical to Edward now than I had ever seen him. I'm sure Edward would resemble him exactly—minus the hair and eyes—in about thirty years.

"Carlisle," I shouted and ran towards him.

He raised his head, surprised, and looked at me. "There you are. I was starting to think that you weren't coming."

"No, I was being detained." I shot a look at Maureen, who was glaring daggers at me. "What happened?" I asked him.

"We should go see Edward."

"She can't go back there." Maureen stepped between us.

"Young lady, I suggest you move out of the way. I pay a lot of money to this hospital, and if Bella wants to come back, then she will." He gave her a stern eye.

"Maureen, why don't we go back up front?" New Nurse suggested and tugged her away.

I didn't want to say "I told you so", although, it would make me feel a hell of a lot better. I watched her lips twitch as New Nurse dragged her all the way back down, only looking away from her when she finally rounded the corner.

"What happened to Edward?" I asked; my mind re-focused back on the situation at hand.

"Well," Carlisle combed through his hair, "we have a problem."

"Is he dead? Tell me he's fine."

Carlisle chuckled, "No, Bella. He's not dead, but he did have a little… issue."

"Where is he? Can I see him? You have to tell me something."

He guided me down the hallway, and I noticed that we seemed to be getting further and further away from civilization as we went. There was absolutely no one in this section of the floor, and even the lights were dimmed.

We got to the last room on the left before Carlisle stopped.

"I'll give you two some time alone. I'm going to go call Esme."

"Wait, what happened?"

"I'll let the doctor explain when he gets back."

With a shaking hand, I pushed open the door and found Edward lying on a large hospital bed.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing was low. The beep of a machine was near his bed, but I couldn't even begin to think about what was going on. He was in a hospital gown, and his face looked completely white. It was as if he had no blood in his body at all. Even his hair seemed duller than usual.

"Oh my God." I walked closer to him and saw the handcuffs that were securing one of his wrists to the bed. He had an IV though his arm and breathing tubes in his nose.

I didn't know what to do or what to say. I didn't know if he was conscious, but he looked… dead. I had never seen my Edward so fragile or broken.

The steady beep of the machine was about to drive me crazy.

My hand was vibrating horribly as I traced the vein of his arm and followed it up to his shoulder. When I reached his face, I outlined the planes on his pale skin. I went over his eyelids, his nose, his cheeks, his lips.

"What happened to you?" I felt a warm tear fall from my face. It dripped onto the light blue sheet that was covering his body, staining it darker.

I ran my hand through his hair and tried to style it somewhat, which was so stupid; his hair being messed up was the least of his problems right now.

The beeping continued from the machine and I looked at it, not knowing what it said. There were a whole bunch of numbers that just confused the hell out of me, so I stopped trying to decipher them.

No one was giving me any answers and that made me even more suspicious. Was he okay? Was he dying? Was he going to make it? Maybe I was being overly dramatic. My Edward wasn't weak like this. He wasn't supposed to be in a hospital bed.

I felt another tear drop, and then another. I was over trying to keep them in.

"Stop staring at me and stop crying," Edward's voice said in a low timber.

I yelped and jumped back, almost falling into the chair next to the bed.

He opened one eye and looked at me.

"Edward." I threw myself at him and wrapped my arms around his neck. It took me a long second before I realized that his air tube was cut off, and I let go quickly.

"Geez, Bella." He rubbed his chest.

"What the hell is going on?" I got angry at the lack of information I was getting.

"Nothing, I'm fine." He positioned himself up against the pillows. I helped him fluff them up.

"Bullshit. I get a call in the middle of the night telling me that you're in the hospital and then when I get here, you look like this? What's happening?"

"I said I'm fine." Edward's eyes were a gloomy green color, saying the opposite of what he was telling me.

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

"This is just a precaution."

"Oh really?" I snapped my teeth together. "If this were a precaution, you wouldn't be in here. What the hell happened?"

He sighed heavily, "I don't want you to worry, and you're already starting to go crazy."

"Damned right I am."

He was about to say something, but the door opened behind me and a man in a white lab coat entered the room with a clipboard.

"Good, finally some answers." I sat in the chair on the opposite side of the bed.

"Sorry for the wait. I've had such a busy night."

"Can you please just tell me what the hell's going on?" I pleaded.

"Don't tell her anything. She's not family. Aren't there rules about that?" Edward said quickly.

I tried not to think about the battle I just had with Maureen and New Nurse in the hallway.

"Shut up," I snapped and looked back at the doctor. "What happened to him?"

"Well, Mr. Cullen. We sure did dodge a bullet with you, didn't we?" He looked over the brim of his glasses. "In short, he had a heart attack." He stared at me.

"A… a heart attack?" I stammered.

Edward groaned and banged his head on the bed post. "Now she's going to be treating me like a child."

"A heart attack?" I asked. "But he's only twenty-five."

"According to the tests we did, he has the heart of a fifty year old. It wasn't a pretty picture. Thankfully, it wasn't too bad… this time."

"He's so young. Are you sure he wasn't drugged or anything?" I asked hopefully; praying that this wasn't something brought on by Edward's own bad health practices.

"He wasn't drugged. His system was clean. This was just a health mishap." The doctor answered.

"I'm fine. Can I go home now?" Edward sat up.

Both the doctor and I gave a hearty "no" at the same time.

"So… is he dying?" I whispered.

"No, he's not and he should be fine."

" 'He' is in the room," Edward rumbled.

"Okay, so what exactly happened?" I asked, ignoring him completely.

"Thankfully, it wasn't a full blown attack, so he didn't go into cardiac arrest," the doctor explained. "He had a very abnormal arrhythmia and when he was brought in, his heart was extremely taxed. It stopped for a while, but we got it back and didn't have to do bypass surgery. The defibrillator was enough, but his heart did give out for a couple of minutes. We need keep you for observation."

I glared at Edward so furiously, that I thought his skin was going to come off. "I cannot believe this."

"I'm fine." He scoffed.

"You are not fine, Mr. Cullen. We were very lucky, but you have some serious health issues that we need to take care of."

He went to a board at the other side of the room and stuck some x-rays on it before turning a light on. They illuminated. Of course, I had no idea what I was looking at, but I figured it wasn't good.

"This is a full body scan." The doctor pointed. "Here we have your liver, your pancreas, your lungs, and your heart; all of which are in horrible condition."

"They are not. I'm healthy," Edward argued.

"Just stop talking," I muttered to him. I was so angry with him that I could have screamed.

This is exactly what I had been talking about. He needed to take better care of himself.

"This heart attack was bound to happen. May I ask about your diet?" The doctor sat in a chair at the foot of the bed.

"No, you may not." Edward crossed his arms.

"He eats horribly, but he exercises a lot. I thought that would be good enough," I said.

"Probably not. I know that Mr. Cullen smokes and drinks heavily so that, mixed with the less than perfect diet, is just a recipe for disaster."

"Where exactly did you go to med school?" Edward asked nastily.

Once again, I ignored him. "So is he going to be alright? Is there any medication he needs to take?"

"Well, yes, and we'll give you all of that, but the best way to get him healthy again is monitor his food. I'll give you a specific list of things he needs to stay off of. He needs to be eating healthy things. That includes absolutely no salt for a long time; lean meats and lots of fresh vegetables. No drinking and absolutely no smoking."

I committed all of this to memory because there was no way in hell that Edward was going to comply with rules. He didn't live by rules.

"Also, I think that all of this could have been prevented if you cut down on the stress. Do you live a stressful life, Mr. Cullen?" the doctor asked.

I looked at Edward with a raised eyebrow, not even bothering to answer that.

"No, I'm a real estate developer." Edward shrugged.

"Well, I find that hard to believe. Your heart looks incredibly worn."

I shrunk into myself slightly because I guess some of this was my fault. Just my presence had thrown such a wrench in his life that he was having health problems. He was up all hours of the night trying to protect me and constantly worrying over me. It was taxing him too much.

Then I got fairly angry. He wasn't taking this seriously. His health was the most important thing right now.

I couldn't even think about how scary this was. Did Edward understand that this provided us with a very serious situation? He was acting like a child who didn't want to get his teeth pulled. Well, I was putting my foot down. This was the last straw.

"The main thing I can tell you is to cut down on the stress. Your anxiety level is through the roof; I can tell just by your body and your blood pressure is impossibly high." The doctor emphasized, "Eating healthy is only half the battle."

Carlisle had slipped into the room now and was standing near the door without saying a word.

"I'm going to prescribe you some aspirin, a statin, and a beta-blocker." Doctor wrote on his clipboard. "It's imperative that you keep to a strict schedule with your medication and eating. No sex or anything strenuous for at least the next three months. That means no working."

"I'm not taking any medication and fuck that no sex rule," I heard Edward say under his breath.

I pinched the bridge of my nose so tightly that it was hard to breathe.

"I'll let you three have some time alone." The doctor left the room.

Carlisle, Edward, and I didn't even move.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Carlisle said.

"Nothing," Edward mumbled.

"I can't even begin to tell you how crazy your mother is going at home. She's probably driving herself over here now, and God help us all if they pull that trick at the desk that they did with Bella. She will kill everyone in this place." He ran a hand though his hair.

"What happened?" I asked Edward, "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. You heard the doctor. It was just a small attack. We don't need to be worried."

"This wasn't a small attack. This was one of those preventative warning things that's supposed to scare the shit out of us until you get better." I was shaking.

"Bella, I'm fine."

"You're not fine, Edward." I stood up so quickly that my chair fell back. "You're not fine." I calmed down and closed my eyes.

"I want you to take a break." Carlisle said.

"No, I have things to do." Edward sat up.

"Not anymore. I'm taking you off your assignments for a while. I'm not risking your health."

"I have a job to do, and I'm not taking off just because some doctor says I need to."

"_I_ told you to take off." Carlisle got a very authoritative tone in his voice, and his eyes darkened instantly, "You were incredibly stupid tonight."

"Can we not get into this right now?"

"Carlisle, can I talk to Edward alone for a second, please?" I asked.

"Sure, I can't deal with him right now anyway." He slammed the door shut when he left.

"He's never been able to handle me." Edward rolled his eyes.

"I don't even know what to say," I spoke honestly. "You had a heart attack?"

"I can't control that, Bella. I'm ready to go home and get back to work."

"Absolutely not. I'm going to get every single medical book I can find and read up on this. You're not leaving the couch for the next three months."

"I'm not being a prisoner in my own home."

"You have no choice. You're sick, Edward. I've been telling you this for as long as I can remember and now that something bad has happened, it's just put it all in perspective. I'm sorry, but I'm going to put your health first."

"This is ridiculous."

"I'm not fighting you on it because you know I'll win. Plus, you know you need to rest. I'm not trying to change you or anything, but I can't just watch you kill yourself."

"I think you're being a little dramatic."

"No, I'm not. You have no choice in the matter. I'm trying to keep you breathing."

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Do you know that this is the first time I've ever been admitted to a hospital?"

"I figured. This doesn't make you weak."

"What would you call it then? I can't work, I can't be 'stressed'," he put his words in quotations, "I can't even eat what I want."

"This happens all the time. We'll just have to keep an eye on you." I fixed the blanket so that it was covering him more.

"You're not my mother, you know."

"Thank God. Esme might never let you leave the house again. She should be here in a minute to kill your ass."

Edward shifted on the bed, and I heard the rattle of metal. That's when I remembered that he was fucking handcuffed.

As if answering my silent question, Jacob Black walked in the room with a superior grin.

"What did you do?" I crossed the room and actually poked him in the chest.

"Ow, that hurt." He rubbed the spot and laughed, "I'm just checking in on my best friend."

"Get out of my room," Edward barked. "I don't ever want to fucking see you again."

"Calm down." I went back to him and was trying to keep his heart rate low. The machine was going insane with its beeps.

"How is everything?" Jacob sat in a chair and crossed his legs, making it known that he wasn't going anywhere.

"What is Edward doing in handcuffs?" I asked with a furious tone.

"You should be thanking me, Bella. Ask him who brought his ass to the hospital. Being the wonderful officer that I am, I couldn't just let a civilian die."

Edward's jaw was so tight that I thought it was going to snap off. He didn't say anything.

"He's under arrest for breaking and entering."

"I was let in the house," Edward said with his eyes closed and his breathing ragged.

"Not according to what I remember and you came alone so you knew what you were getting into."

"This is bullshit. Get out!" Edward shouted, "But I still have some questions for you later."

"I'm here to make sure that you don't get away for when I need you and ask all the questions you want."

"I'm so confused." I shook my head. "Where exactly were you after you left last night?" I asked Edward.

"I… I went to handle some things."

"He ended up at Aro's house," Jacob interrupted. "Aro and I were having a meeting. Next thing we know, Edward's barreling through demanding this and that. I wasn't really listening, but he was having a heart attack when I turned around again."

I didn't know who or what to believe. This situation just seemed too fantasized.

"What the hell were you doing there with him?" Edward asked.

"Aren't I allowed to have friends?"

"You're a dirty cop, Jacob. You're the fucking worst." He shook his head.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked.

They both ignored me, glaring at each other.

"Are you just so focused on getting me that you don't even care what trash you hang out with?" Edward's voice was low and scary.

"I don't give a shit about Aro. He's mincemeat compared to putting your ass in jail."

"You're obsessed."

"I'm dedicated." Jacob argued.

This whole thing was so confusing and I wasn't getting any clear timeline from last night. I looked at Edward to refute the story, but he didn't say anything.

"I can't even think about you right now." I pointed at Jacob. "I'm trying to make sure that Edward is okay so could you please leave?"

"No, I think I'll stay."

I was getting very angry, as was Edward, indicated by the furious beeping machine. I guessed there wasn't anything we could do if Edward really was under arrest. Something told me that that was a lie.

Suddenly, the door banged open and there was a flash of something in the room.

"Oh, my baby." Esme was grabbing Edward so tightly that his eyes were bugging out.

"Ma, get off," he said.

"No, I won't." She hugged him tighter. "I can't believe this. You're never leaving the house again."

I saw Carlisle cross the room, and I noticed that he was getting as far away from Jacob as he possibly could. His face was scary, deadly even. I couldn't even look at him.

"Ma, you're killing me." Edward's voice sounded strangled.

"I don't care." Esme started to actually climb on the bed. "What did you do to yourself? I always knew this was going to happen. Oh, my baby."

"Dad, please…" Edward said over her shoulder.

"Esme, let the boy breathe." Carlisle pulled her off. She had some tears in her eyes and a trembling lip.

"The doctor said he'll be fine if he just follows the rules," I tried to re-assure her.

"This is just too much for me." She put her head on Carlisle's chest. "He's dying."

"Ma, stop being so theatrical." Edward leaned against his pillows. "I'm alive."

"Barely," she wailed and hit his arm. "Why don't you ever listen to Bella? No more of that horrible smoking or alcohol, and you're never eating anything again besides vegetables."

"I'm not an old man."

Jacob chuckled darkly in the background, and Esme spun around.

"What is he doing here?" she asked Edward, and then noticed his handcuffs. "Are you being arrested?"

"Supposedly."

"Carlisle, do something."

"I can't. Officer Black seems to think that Edward was breaking the law," he snipped.

"You take those off of him right now," Esme said wrathfully to Jacob.

"I can't ma'am. He's under arrest."

"I don't care. He's in a hospital bed. Take them off."

"It's just not possible at the moment until I question him."

"And what exactly are the charges?" Esme put her hands on her hips.

"Breaking and entering," he replied smugly.

I think I heard a "bullshit" fall from her lips.

She pulled a small pin out of her hair, went over to Edward's wrist, and masterfully fiddled with the cuffs for a second before they popped off.

"She's always been good with handcuffs," Carlisle whispered to me. I didn't know if that was something sexual or not, but it was obvious that Esme had a knack for escaping bindings.

"Get out," she told Jacob. "I need to be with my family, and unless you want me to make a call to the commissioner…"

"Alright, alright." Jacob held up his hands. "I won't be far, though."

He left the room with a huff.

The next couple of hours were really stressful for everyone.

Esme was pretty much a wreck when the doctor came back in to explain things further to us. It sounded really bad, and Edward was just trying to seem tougher than he actually was. He wasn't going to be leaving the hospital for at least two days and even after that, he was going to be coming back for frequent checkups.

He was silent for a while; didn't say one word. That might be because he was being outtalked by Esme or Carlisle or me, but I knew he was getting pissed. I could feel it.

The doctor took Edward away for numerous tests that all came back very badly, but at least he didn't need surgery or anything like that.

I just knew that something like this was going to happen. I had been trying to look out for him, but I might have been a little too late. It was hard to give up a lifetime of bad habits. I understood that, although, I don't think Edward was going to ever eat another fattening thing again. Between his parents and me, we had a pretty strong lock on what he was going to be doing for the next couple of months. Besides rolling over in bed, Edward was to be as inactive as possible. Of course, he needed to get up for exercising, but even that was supposed to be done minimally.

Everyone else came over later in the day. They were just as confused as I was, but I had a feeling that the boys knew more than they were telling. All I got was that they had business to handle last night. After that, Edward left and they hadn't seen him sense. They were scared for their brother, though. I could see that. Carlisle was screaming at them for something about "letting Edward go over there alone" and then he screamed at Edward for "thinking with his instincts instead of his head." It was a very heated argument.

Alice was late to the family gathering because she went out to buy a massive teddy bear and balloons. She stuck the bear right in the bed with Edward; it covered up his entire body. He hated that, but it was really funny for the rest of us.

Like Esme promised, she was on the phone with the commissioner, and the hospital actually had to escort her out because she was yelling so loudly. She came back with a red face, and we were all kind of scared. Good thing we were in a hospital because I thought she might have a heart attack as well.

The commissioner came down to visit Edward and brought with him, Jacob's immediate boss. Jacob hadn't left the hospital, but we all watched as he got his ass handed to him. Edward got an apology and the policemen all sucked up to Carlisle. He said that they were worried about losing their funds.

Edward didn't want to be treated like a regular patient, no matter how fragile he was at the moment. Nothing we said could persuade him that he was basically going to be an invalid for the next few months. He got very grumpy around lunchtime, and we figured it was a good idea for him to take a nap. Everyone left except me. I refused to.

Edward slept for about three hours, and I just sat there watching him. He reminded me of a child when he was sleeping, but this was a little terrifying. His body was so broken, and the evidence of years of bad health was present. I cried a little while he was asleep because I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to lose him right now.

When he woke back up, he was just as grumpy as before. Actually, he was pissed.

His pillows weren't fluffy enough; his room was too cold, or the food wasn't good. It was just a ploy for us to move him out of the hospital, but it wasn't working. Carlisle was adamant about Edward never having to be in this situation again. I don't think he had ever seen one of his sons in such a human position. Edward's heart attack just reminded us all that our lives could change in an instant.

It was scary.

"Bella, I don't want to take those." Edward pushed my hand out of the way as I shoved the pills towards him.

"We go through this every time you're sick." I held them in front of his face.

"I don't like pills."

"Stop being a baby. You can take vicodin by the shit load, but you can't take your regular meds? This isn't funny. Stop acting like such a baby."

"I won't take those."

"I'll call the nurse in and have you sedated."

"You wouldn't dare," he challenged.

I pressed the button and held it until a nurse appeared at the door.

"What can I do for you today?" She smiled.

"I need you to put him under." I pointed at Edward.

"Uh, we can't do that unless there's a complaint or from the doctor's orders."

"I'm complaining," I said.

"You don't count."

"Well, then how else am I supposed to give him his pills?"

The nurse took them from me and moved closer to Edward.

"What are you doing?" He cringed. "Get away from me."

"You need to take your medication, Mr. Cullen," she said firmly.

"You can't force me."

She outsmarted him and pinched his nose. Edward's mouth opened automatically to breathe, and she shoved them down his throat. He had to swallow them. That was something that Edward didn't like at all.

He went crazy when she let go and yelled for at least half an hour. He was saying things like how he was going to have the hospital shut down and have his lawyer sue all the nurses.

I just sat in the corner and read a book while he ranted. I used that nose pinching thing every time I had to give him medication after that.

The whole hospital stay was a large production with him acting more and more like a child as the hours passed. He actually was put under when night came because he refused to sleep.

I wasn't allowed to stay in the room with Edward. There was another hospital policy preventing it, so I was given a bed in one of their family rooms. It was fine since I just needed a place to rest my head.

The next morning, I was woken up by a knock at the door and Alice brought me some clothes from home. I went straight back to Edward's room.

I emailed my professors and told them that I was dealing with a family emergency without going into details. They were very nice about it all and agreed to email me the assignments that I was going to miss. I just planned on staying out until Edward was able to go home.

It took three days for the doctors to be confident enough in his health so that he could leave.

"I can't stand this place." Edward pulled on the jeans that Emmett had brought him from home. "I'm never coming back here."

"You'll be coming back next week for a checkup," I said and packed some of the clothes that I had.

"I'm running away."

"You're not running anywhere. You might not make it five feet," I joked. "Face it, Edward, you're an old man."

"I am not. I know I'm being difficult, but how else am I supposed to act?" He sat on the bed to pull on his shoes.

"Edward, do you not realize how serious this is? You could have died."

"I could die every day of the week."

"Yeah, but not from something stupid like a heart attack. I always assumed you would go out in an explosion or something adventurous like that." I stood in front of him, smoothing out his hair.

He chuckled deeply. "That would be amazing, but I hate feeling human."

"You are human," I responded, placing a kiss on his cheek, "and I'm sorry for that."

"Did I scare you?" he asked with his hands on my hips.

"With this whole heart attack thing?"

"Yeah, did it scare you?"

"I was terrified. I still am. That's why I'm going to be hard on you." I kissed the corner of his lips. "I need you around for as long as possible."

"Can we at least have sex?" He pulled my face closer to his.

"Not a chance. Three months, remember?"

"I think that was more of a suggested time frame."

"No, I read the books. You won't be leaving the couch for a very long while. I love you too much to let you go right now."

"I… love you too," he said in a low voice.

"You still can't say it, can you?" I laughed.

"I just did."

"Shout it."

"Don't be ridiculous. We're in a hospital, Bella."

I should have been mad at him, but just the words were enough. We would work on the shouting later.

"I hate this place," he grumbled.

"Too bad."

"Knock, knock," a sweet voice said from the door. "Is everyone ready to go home?" the nurse asked and pushed a wheelchair through.

"We sure are," I said and went back to my packing.

"Uh, what's that?" Edward pointed to the wheelchair.

"It's hospital policy. All patients have to leave the grounds in a wheelchair."

"You've got to be shitting me," he snapped. "I'm not leaving in that thing."

"Edward," I warned, "just do as she says."

"No, I'm not being rolled around like some elderly person."

"Or a person who just had a heart attack," I reminded him.

"We're not starting this imposed imprisonment like this." He stood up and held the door open for the nurse.

"I'm not going anywhere without your ass in the chair." She shifted on her feet.

_I liked her. _

"Is there a problem here?" Edward's doctor came into the room.

Each of us said something different, and he held his hands up to stop us.

"I actually came to speak with Bella. We'll be right back."

I went outside with the doctor and closed the door.

"Is something wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"No, no. I was just coming to make sure that you're prepared for this. You will be his primary caretaker? Do I have that right?"

"Yes," I answered immediately.

"This is going to be a tough road for the both of you. He's a very stubborn, and I can tell that he won't take things well."

"He's always been like that."

"Just make sure he sticks with his schedule. He needs his medication at the right intervals; he needs to eat healthy, exercise well, and stay off of the substances."

"I understand and we're going to beat him into submission."

"Just don't push too hard. He needs to do things on his own as well. You'll drive yourselves crazy if you just keep berating him."

"I've listened to all your instructions, and I promise to have him back here for his checkups."

"Good, I know he might be acting childish, but most men like him get this way when dealing with a situation like this."

"Yeah, I figured."

Even as the doctor and I were talking, I could hear Edward's mouth in the background. He was shouting at the nurse and there was a lot of noise. It sounded like they were actually fighting.

"I wanted to ask you how you would rate his stress level." The doctor tapped his chin.

"Uh, well he's very… stressed all the time, and he has OCD tendencies so his mind never really shuts off. He can get obsessed over things, but he hides it all well."

"I thought so. Has he ever seen a psychiatrist?"

"Yes, I think he did, but he won't go anymore."

There was a loud crash in the background, and I was starting to get a little worried.

"And what is his job again?"

"Real estate agent," I answered.

He nodded. "Well, I've heard of this happening in young men with all kinds of jobs so he's not alone."

"And if he keeps to the rules and takes his medication, he'll be alright?" I asked hopefully.

"He should be. In actuality, it could have been a lot worse than it was. He was lucky."

I let out a relieved breath. "That's good to hear."

"I'll let you go and make sure you bring him back next week."

"Okay, doctor and thank you."

"No problem."

I went back inside and found Edward along with the nurse in a battle for dominance. Things were overturned, they were both red-faced, and shouting. Edward was actually standing on the bed like the nurse was trying to bite him.

"Get in the chair." She tried to shove him down.

"No, I'm walking out."

"That's not how it works. I'm calling security."

"Go ahead."

"Edward, this is not what you need to be doing after a heart attack," I shouted over the noise.

"Well, then, tell her to leave me alone."

This would be highly comedic if I wasn't tired of trying to keep Edward from having another episode.

"Get off of the bed," I commanded.

"No, tell her that I'm walking out of here or nothing."

"Can't he just walk?" I asked the nurse.

"No," she said definitely, "he has to sit in the wheelchair."

Like I said, I was putting my foot down. I don't know how I did it, but I fucking forced Edward into that chair and wheeled him out of the room. We got into the elevators and started our descent.

I was going to have to figure out a way to rein him in before it was too late.

* * *

**HOLY STUBBORN EDWARD BATMAN**

**SO, AT LEAST HE'S ALRIGHT. WE CAN ALL BREATHE EASY, RIGHT? MAYBE. THESE TWO JUST NEED A VACATION. I THINK I'LL GET ON THAT. **

**NOT MUCH TO SAY YOU GUYS ENJOYED. **

**HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND. THANKS TO JENNY FOR THE BETA**

**THANKS FOR ALL THE FAVS/ALERTS/REVIEWS. WE'RE ABOUT TO PASS 6000. I'M BLOWN AWAY BY THAT. THANKS!**

**FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER FOR INFO- (at) johnnyboy1029**

**I MIGHT POST A O/S THAT I HAVE ON TUESDAY INSTEAD OF A TWBB CHAPTER. WE'LL SEE LATER.  
**

JOHNNYBOY, OUT!


	39. Chapter 38

Obedience and Authority

EDWARD POV

_"Young blood must have its course, lad, and every dog its day."- Charles Kingsley_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

I was actually salivating as Emmett pushed the giant piece of fatty, Chicago deep-dish pizza across the breakfast bar towards me.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Alec said hesitantly.

"Shut up," I snapped and took my first bite of heaven in almost a month.

I moaned as the grease slithered down my throat. The heat from the pizza burned my mouth, but I didn't care. I would die a happy man just for this one last taste of freedom.

"Is it good?" Emmett grinned and took a large chunk from his own pizza.

"You have no idea." I swallowed another bite.

"This is not going to end well." Alec started to pace the floor of my kitchen.

"Will you sit down?" Jasper rolled his eyes. "You're stressing him out."

"Bella is going to kill us all," he muttered. "She almost strangled me for giving him a cup of coffee. What is she going to say when she sees him eating pizza?"

"She's going to castrate you." Emmett laughed at me.

"I wasn't the one who went out and bought the stuff," I argued.

He thought for a second, and then shrugged. "She can't beat me."

"You wanna bet?" I chuckled.

It had been a month since my "episode", and Bella was breathing down my neck like a dragon. She was the personification of Nurse Ratchet, and it wasn't fun at all. I had a heart problem; I didn't die. To me, it wasn't really a big deal. It's over now, right? Not according to Bella. If she wasn't shoving pills down my throat, then she was making healthy food and monitoring my stress level.

I wasn't allowed to move from the couch if she was here. She would have a medical reason for everything, and I wasn't even allowed to shout at the TV. I was a fucking invalid, and I wasn't taking this new life well.

I was a person who got restless if I sat in a chair for five minutes. What did I do now that I was glued to the couch? I was going insane. My mind was literally buzzing for some kind of interaction. I had gone through two Sudoku books and began on a _New York Times _crossword set that was supposed to be difficult. It was less strenuous than advertised.

On the occasions when Bella was at school, I took the opportunity to do something productive.

Against everyone's wishes, I secretly did some behind the scenes work. I kept a low profile, but got things done. I went over numbers from business transactions and monitored everything that my brothers handled. I would clean the house from top to bottom, which under Bella's classifications, fell under strenuous activity.

However bad Bella was, she was nothing compared to my parents. Even over the phone, they berated me for not following rules. When they came over, Esme went crazy. She always had to point out something that I was doing wrong. It was very annoying, but her persistent nature didn't let up. Carlisle took the firmer approach of basically tying me down to take my meds.

I wasn't a child, although, I was acting like one. They were forcing me to behave like a fucking baby. I had no say over anything anymore. I had depleted in authority so quickly that it made my head spin. I couldn't wait to get the seal of approval from the doctor so that I could go back to work. This was hell.

I was just trying to have some control over something and defiance was just enough of a rush for me to stay sane. Thus, the reason for the pizza. This was my first taste of real food since I had gotten out of the hospital.

"She's going to kill us," Alec repeated and plopped down in his chair. "I just know she is."

"Bella is reasonable. She's not going to chase us around with a knife," Emmett mumbled through his pizza.

"She tried to actually stab me the other day when I wouldn't take my new medication," I said.

"Why don't you just do as the doctor said?" Jasper asked.

"Because I don't need any of that stupid shit."

"Yes, you do. You're old," Emmett laughed.

"You're older than me." I growled.

"Yeah, but Rose has had me eating organic for years. My heart's as healthy as a horse."

"I'm not going to be eating healthy shit for the rest of my life." I took another bite of pizza.

"I was reading up on it and the books said that as long as you just eat things in moderation, you should be fine," Jasper said. "But that's after the first year."

"Nope, too long," I replied. "I want pizza now."

"You could have really been fucked up." Alec got his own slice of pizza. "What if you had to go in for bypass surgery?"

"Ma would have flipped."

"She might have had a heart attack herself." Emmett sighed, "She is driving me crazy. Last night, she came over with a scale and tried to take my weight."

"She recorded my body fat this morning after I ate breakfast," Alec mumbled. "It was so lame, and then she threw out my cereal because it had too much sugar."

I was about to say something about how stupid all of this was, but I heard a key in the front door. Bella was home.

We stopped eating and looked at each other for a split second before we jumped into action.

"Put the box in the oven," I ordered and threw the half-eaten slices of pizza in the trash. I handed the plates off to Emmett, who washed them under running water.

Jasper was chugging the small amount of beer that we had left behind, and Alec was sputtering around like a windup toy.

"Edward, I'm back," Bella called, and I could hear her taking off her coat.

"In the kitchen," I said. "Act normal."

We sat around like idiots and tapped our fingers.

Bella came in the kitchen with bags of things, and Emmett jumped up to help her.

"What's all of this?" he asked.

"I had to go grocery shopping after school," she answered. "How are you guys?"

"Good," we answered in unison.

_Damn. _

She was going to know something was up.

Bella eyed us for a second before walking over to me. "How was your day? Did you follow the schedule?" She gave me a kiss.

"Yes, I took my medication and did my exercises."

"Good, and you haven't been lifting anything or working?"

"No, Bella. All he does is sit and mope," Jasper reassured her.

"I hope so. We can't take any chances. Tonight, we're having baked chicken, brown rice, and steamed broccoli."

"Yum," Emmett replied sarcastically, "I'll make sure to be gone before then."

"It wouldn't hurt the rest of you to eat healthier as well," Bella said maternally. She was turning more into our mother every single day.

"So… we're going to go." Alec hopped off his stool, his voice shaking slightly.

Bella tilted her head to the side and squinted. "What's going on in here?"

"Nothing." Jasper shrugged.

"Alec." She turned to him and put on her best sweet face. He was no match. He never could resist Bella, "Is there something I should know about?"

_Double damn it. _

Alec snapped his mouth shut so that it looked like he was about to explode. He just shook his head instead of answering.

Bella walked around the kitchen with a skeptical eye, and I could see her scanning the room.

"Why don't you go upstairs to change?" I suggested.

"I'm fine," she said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah,"

"Well, we're going to go." Emmett started pushing Alec and Jasper out of the kitchen.

The fuckers left me with the evidence and a sure-to-be-angry Bella. The door closed behind them, and I tensed up slightly just thinking about what was in the oven.

"Alright, well, I'm going to go put my stuff away. I'll be right back to make us dinner. Let me just put my books in the library."

I heard her footsteps climb the stairs, and I waited a couple of seconds before I jumped off of the stool and took the pizza boxes out of the oven. I calmly walked to the front door and opened it quietly. I went into the hall and shoved the boxes down the garbage shoot.

"There." I wiped my hands clean of the evil proof that I had been slacking from my regiment.

I went back to the door and realized that I was locked out.

"Damn." I should have known better.

I knocked and waited for an answer, but nothing came. I rang the doorbell this time. Still nothing.

"Bella, can you let me in?" I hollered.

"Who is it?" she said from the other side.

"You know who it is. Can I come in?"

"No,"

"Uh, why?"

"Because you had pizza. Do you think I'm stupid, Edward? I could taste it on your fucking breath."

"Bella, just let me in. We'll talk about it later. I'm not shouting at you from the hallway."

"We'll talk about it right now. Do you even take this seriously?"

"Of course I do. It was just one slice of pizza, and I didn't even finish it."

"You're so immature. This is very important, and I'm trying to keep you healthy. Why don't you just listen to the doctor and do what he says?"

"Bella, I'm not going to talk to you with a steel door between us."

"Well, you're not coming inside until you give me your word that you'll do better."

"Fine," I ground out.

"You're lying. You should want to get better."

"I do, but I'm bored. What else is there to do besides fantasize about what I can't have?"

The door swung open and Bella was standing there with tight lips. "You could do a whole bunch of things besides trying to kill yourself."

She pulled me into the house by the sleeve of my robe and pushed me towards the kitchen.

"I don't like to be taken care of," I said as I sat at the table.

"I know and I'm really trying to let you do things on your own, but if I do that, you won't ever take your medicine."

"I'm not a child."

"Then stop acting like one. Do what you're supposed to do."

She started to empty out the tablets that I was required to take. They were in one of those old people medicine holders that had the days of the week on it.

"Don't fight me." She held them in her palm and poured me a glass of orange juice.

"When is this going to be over?" I took the pills from her.

"A couple more months. The doctor said you'll be better soon if you do what he says."

"I hate that stupid doctor." I took my medicine, downing the whole glass of juice in one gulp.

Bella gave me a head nod of approval. "Thank you."

She started to walk away, but I caught her wrist and pulled her towards me. I trapped her in between my legs.

"Now that I've been good, can I have my reward?"

"We didn't talk about any rewards." She raised an eyebrow.

I trailed my lips from her collarbone to her neck.

"Edward, that doctor said…"

"I know what the doctor said. Just indulge me."

I brought her face close to mine by the base of her neck, and she complied with my requests. Her lips moved with mine easily, like they always did. I knew I only had about half a minute before one of us would make some sort of sexual sound. That was when she always pulled away.

Just as in every time before, when she moaned, Bella put her hands on my chest and pushed me back.

"Edward, no sex." She was panting pretty heavily.

"But I've been good," I said pathetically.

"Not good enough."

"Bella, I jacked off twice in the shower this morning. It's getting very difficult to stay away from you," I sighed.

"I don't think you're supposed to be doing that. Masturbation increases the heart rate. What if you passed out in the shower?" She was starting to get worried.

"Bella, Bella, calm down." I held her face in my hands. "There's an easy way to solve all of that."

"Really? What is it?"

"You'll just have to shower with me." I grinned. "We can save water and you can make sure that I'm being safe."

She hit my shoulder and laughed her way to the stove.

We had a dinner of cardboard brown rice, plastic, steamed green beans, and rubber chicken. Nothing had salt or pepper, and I swear that it all tasted like glue. Bella did allow me to have a glass of wine because according to the Almighty Doctor, one glass every other day was good for my heart. That was about the only thing I could look forward to.

"Now, go sit on the couch and watch TV." She picked our plates up from the table.

I ignored her statement and helped her with the dishes. It was the least I could do for being such a dick.

We sat on the couch for the rest of the night, reading _Pride and Prejudice_. I didn't particularly like it, but I wasn't really complaining. Around midnight, Bella convinced me to get in bed even though I wasn't tired. The doctor said I needed at least eight hours a night, which was preposterous to me. No human on the face of this earth needed that much sleep.

"What are we going to do tomorrow?" Bella asked as we brushed our teeth in the bathroom.

Once again, it wasn't lost on me how much of a married couple we resembled. The strange thing was that I couldn't see myself _not_ in this position. I never thought I would say that.

_It must be the medication. _

"Am I allowed out of the house now?" I spit out toothpaste along with a little amount of blood into the sink. That's when I knew my teeth were clean.

"I think a walk would be good and it's been nice out."

"We could go to the pier. I haven't been there in a while."

"That sounds good." She eyed me in the mirror. "Wait, you only want to go there for the fried foods, don't you? No, we won't be going there."

"I can at least sniff them."

"No, I'm putting my foot down. You're not dying on my watch." She gave me a wet kiss on the cheek and went into the bedroom.

I followed her a couple minutes after I made sure everything was straightened out and clicked the lights twice.

Bella feel asleep almost instantly, but I was awake and in no way ready to calm my body down.

The hours passed quickly and before I knew it, the clock was flashing three in the morning. I still didn't want to shut my eyes, so I rolled out of bed and quietly left the bedroom. I put on some snow boots and a heavy coat so that I could sit outside on the balcony without getting sick. The cold air was just what I needed to clear my head, and I just sat in a chair to think. I didn't really have much going on in my head, but it was nice to get out of the stuffy house.

I had been locked in this apartment for the past three and a half weeks. I had only been out for doctor's appointments, and even those were kept to an hour minimum. I ran my hands through my hair and tried to pull myself together. All I needed a sense of freedom. I had never been locked up in my entire life, so this was pure torture.

As I sat outside, I told myself just how lucky I was to have someone like Bella. She was a ball buster, sure, but that's what I needed. Nothing would get done if she just let me walk all over her. We were both stubborn to the point of annoyance and if she were anyone else, I might have snapped by now. Bella's determination to keep my healthy just showed how much she cared for me. I guess I couldn't whine about that.

I almost bolted out of my seat when I remembered that Bella's spring break was starting soon. Actually, I think it started today.

_Shit._

I had promised her that we would go away. I always screwed things up, of course. And with my heart thing, all our plans were delayed, but I could tell that she was excited about going somewhere when we had first talked about it. Well I'd be damned if I ruined her fun.

I got up from my seat and made three phone calls. One was to Emmett, one was to Jasper, and the other was to the car service. It took nothing but the snap of my fingers to make this all come together.

The hard part was going to be waking Bella up.

"Bella." I shook her shoulder when I went back upstairs.

She was so exhausted that she didn't even move.

I tried again. "Bella, you have to wake up."

Still nothing.

I turned on the light and shook her more furiously.

"What?" She groaned, "I'm tired. Go back to bed."

"No, you have to get up. We're leaving."

"We're not going anywhere."

It took some force, but I was able to sit her up in bed and move her legs over the side. She was still unconscious, although, that might work to my advantage here.

I went through the room, grabbing her some clothes. I put her in a pair of my pajama pants, and got her coat along with a hat so that her head would stay warm. I shoved her feet in some boots, thinking that she would at least be responsive by now. Still nothing.

I, thankfully, was already dressed to leave, so it didn't take me any time at all to get my wallet and phone.

"Bella, are you even alive?" I waved my hand in front of her face.

"Why am I not lying down?" Her eyes opened, squinting against the light.

"We're going out." I stabilized her as I helped her stand up.

"Edward, I'm not in the mood for sex," she sighed.

I laughed quietly, "We're not having sex."

"I don't want to go out. It's too early for this."

"You'll thank me later."

"I haven't even brushed my teeth or hair. Where are you taking me?"

"Just stop asking questions."

I dragged her by the hand downstairs and made sure that she didn't fall. Her eyes were closed the whole time. I shoved a pair of my Ray Bans over her face so that she looked somewhat alive and locked up the house. Before we left, I made sure to grab all my medication. There would be hell to pay if I forgot that shit.

We were in the elevator a second later.

We stopped on Emmett's floor, and he pushed an unresponsive Rosalie in. Jasper and Alice came in as well when we reached them.

"We should have planned this better," Emmett said, supporting a sleeping Rose on his shoulder.

"I hate you guys." Alice crossed her arms. She was the only one really awake, but I don't think she ever went to bed. "Where the hell are we going?"

"You'll love it." Jasper grinned, "Where's Alec?"

"I sent a car for him. He's going to meet us at the airport." I answered.

"Sweet."

We had six people, but no luggage, so we were able to fit in a limo that I had previously called for.

Bella went back to lightly snoring as she leaned against me. The sunglasses were falling off her face, but she didn't even notice. Even Alice fell asleep.

"Do you think they'll be mad when they wake up?" Emmett kept poking Rose in the arm. She was out cold.

"No, they'll be fine," I answered.

"Should you even be traveling?"

I didn't really know the answer to that, but I figured it would be ok. I needed a vacation anyway, so it wasn't like I was disobeying the doctor's orders.

We pulled through the private airport about half an hour outside of the city. The plane was already waiting and ready to go. Alec was leaning on a car as we approached.

"What took you guys so long?" He opened the door when the car stopped.

"We had to lug these three with us." Emmett pulled Rosalie out.

We all stood on the tarmac and the whirl of the plane's engine was too loud for them to stay asleep. Bella nearly jerked awake and pushed the sunglasses into her hair.

"Edward, what the hell is going on?"

"We're going on vacation."

"Like hell we are." She put her hands on her hips. "How did we get here?"

"We dragged you," Jasper chuckled. "Just get on the plane."

"Are you going to kidnap us?" Rose spat.

"No, we're going to have some fun."

"Can we go? It's cold out here." Alec shivered, and then stomped his way up the descended stairs of the plane.

"It will be good for my stress," I told Bella hopefully. "A vacation would be good."

"Did you bring your medicine?" she asked me.

"Yes." I held up the bag.

"And what about your doctor's appointments?"

"We'll find a doctor there."

"Where exactly is 'there'?"

"You'll just have to get on the plane and find out."

We were the only two left on the runway.

"Please," I almost begged, "I promise it won't be anything bad."

"This better be worth it. And I expect you to actually relax on this trip… wherever the hell we're going." She trudged up the stairs, and I followed.

Emmett, Jasper, and Alec were buckling up.

"Where are Rose and Alice?" Bella asked.

"In the room back there." Emmett pointed behind him.

She walked to the bedroom and went inside, closing the door behind her.

"Maybe we should have waited until the morning." I sat in the seat next to Jasper.

"They're going to be super pissed if this doesn't work out."

The ride was a long one, but not unpleasant. We all went to sleep anyway, so it made the time feel a lot shorter. I set the clock to wake me early so that I could take my medicine. I was trying to get on Bella's good side and being proactive about my health would be the way to do it.

I checked in on the girls, who were all but passed out on the large bed in one of the many rooms of the plane. They were tangled up and Rose was nearly hanging off of the side, but she didn't seem to mind. I decided to leave them alone and let them catch up on missed sleep.

"So, how long are we staying?" Alec looked out of the window.

"A week." I sat back down in my seat.

"Good. I need a break." He leaned back.

"Did you even tell Ma you were leaving?" Emmett asked.

"Nope. She'll be super surprised when she wakes up."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, dreading that phone call.

We landed at one of the many private airports as the sun started to rise over the Miami skyline.

We had to taxi for about an hour because there was some rich businessman who didn't want to leave the runway for some reason. I had no idea what that was all about, but by the time we were ready to exit the plane, Bella was stumbling out of the room.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"South Beach." Emmett threw his hands up in the air.

"Oh, brother," she sighed, "you all have kidnapped me."

"You'll have the perfect time. We all need a vacation," I assured her.

"And you promise to take it easy?"

"Yes, I promise."

Rose and Alice woke up when the plane stopped and we descended, taking off our heavy coats as the heat from the Florida sun beat down. It had been years since I had been here, and I had forgotten how hot it could get.

There was a van waiting for us on the tarmac. We piled in without a second thought.

Alice was bouncing in her seat, Rose was talking about shopping, and Bella was trying not to show me how excited she was at the prospect of spending a week in Miami. She told me that she had never been here before, so I was planning on showing her everything I knew about this city. She was still trying to keep me in line, saying that I needed to take it easy. It wasn't like I was planning on going surfing again, so there wasn't really any chance of me overexerting myself.

Miami was one of those eclectic cities that had a specific vibe to it. Unlike Chicago, Miami was more laid back, but still had a certain level of young energy that made you feel… excited. The bright sun bounced off of everything, and there was anything you wanted for a beach vacation.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked with her face pressed up against the glass of the window. She was like a kid in a candy story as we passed the colorful art deco buildings near the ocean.

"The docks." I pointed in the distance to port where hundreds of white yacht sails were swaying in the wind.

"Why? Do you have a boat over there?"

"Edward has the ultimate boat," Jasper said. "He keeps Capriccio here during the winters."

"It's easier to keep it somewhere warm," I explained to Bella.

"But how did it get all the way down here?"

"Magic," I chuckled. "The docks stow it for me every winter. This is the first time I've ever used it in Miami, though."

"So is that where we're staying?" Alice asked.

"Edward has six rooms on that thing." Emmett was just as excited to be out of the chill of Chicago, so he was bouncing around like a jackrabbit.

"But what about clothes?" Rose pointed to her pajama-clad body. "I can't go walking around like this."

That was the dumbest question I'd ever heard come out of her mouth. When have we never provided? The boat should already be stocked by now, actually.

"It's all taken care of," I said.

"This is going to be fun." Alec grinned impishly. He had something up his sleeve.

The van pulled closer to the marina and we got out, heading towards the end of the pier. Large boats bobbed in the water on either side, but of course, mine was the biggest.

Capriccio was sitting majestically in the ocean, overpowering all the other yachts around her. It felt like years since I had seen the beautiful boat.

"Jesus, she's bigger than I remember." I helped Bella climb up the stairs onto the deck.

"That's what she said!" Emmett shouted from the back of the group. There was a united groan and a well-deserved slap from Rosalie.

We split up to find our respective rooms. Bella and I claimed the largest, and I fell on the bed after what felt like years of traveling.

"How're ya holding up?" Bella climbed next to me.

"Fine, and I took my medicine, so you don't have to worry."

"I'm impressed." She kissed my neck. "Why are we here?"

"Because we all need a vacation, and it's your spring break. I promised you we'd go somewhere."

"But that was before you got sick."

"Bella, just breathe and calm down. Everything's going to be fine." I gave her a kiss that started off slowly, but soon turned into a little something more.

Over the past couple of weeks, Bella has been a pure tease, without actually meaning to be. Our kisses were heated, but that was as far as she would allow them to go. I could tell she wanted more. _I _wanted more, and I was almost about to burst. She would always stop right before we could get something going.

Maybe this time would work.

I leaned down and kissed her with more fervor this time while still being gentle. The electricity between us was as obvious as it was almost painful. The shocks that were flowing through my body were overpowering every other feeling I had, and I could barely keep my mind focused on how this was against the rules.

Bella exhaled laboriously and grabbed the hem of my shirt before she pulled it with frustration over my head. She kissed my chest lightly as I gripped her thigh and hooked her leg onto my hip.

"We're going to have to stop soon." She kept kissing my chest.

"Why?"

"Because your heart can't handle it."

"How about we just see what I can handle." I kissed the skin of her supple neck.

Unconsciously or consciously—I wasn't sure which—our fingers began to expertly remove clothing one by one.

I unbuttoned my jeans and moved closer to her on the bed so that she could feel exactly how she was affecting me. My lips immediately found hers again, as she used her feet to pull my jeans from my body. We lay together for a while on the bed, simply exploring each other's bodies with our fingers, tongues, and mouths. I still had on my boxers, and since she had gotten on the plane straight from bed, there was barely any clothing that I had to deal with. She just had on some cotton panties that were so thin, I could almost feel the heat between her legs burning my skin.

_She wanted this just as much as I did. _

I made sure that my heart rate was slow and steady before moving on further.

I bent my head forward into the side of Bella's neck and nibbled her ear softly.

She moaned, and I almost came undone from the sexy sound. As I continued biting her lobe, my hands wandered up and began gently kneading her incredible breasts that were waiting for my touch. Bella's hands ran down my back eagerly, and her legs were now wrapped around my waist, pulling me into her. I could feel her excitement against my boxers and couldn't wait to be inside her, hoping that she didn't stop me before it got that far.

Taking complete control like she never had before, Bella pushed me over so that I was on my back with her on top of me.

"Edward, we can't do this." She stared down at me.

"Why? I can feel you need it." I ran my finger over her fabric-covered slit, and she shuddered violently.

Still on my back, Bella spread her legs over my lap wider; I wasn't complaining one bit.

"I've never been on the bottom," I admitted, like a virgin. I was hoping to entice her with a new sexual position. As much as Bella thought she had the upper hand, the sexual control I had in this relationship was enough to make us both explode.

"If we're going to do this, you have to follow my rules. I've read that books and we're going slow. I'm setting the pace." Bella had a hint of fierceness in her voice that was slightly scary.

I nodded dumbly.

I guess I didn't have as much control as I thought.

She had an aggressive streak, and I was about to fucking blow, but I kept myself under control so that I could enjoy this.

"Wait," Bella looked down, "I forgot about these." She climbed off of me and shimmied out of her panties, throwing them on the floor. Then seeing my underwear, she nearly ripped them from my hips, discarding them as well.

"That was fast," I said as she climbed back on top.

"Stop talking," she commanded. "Talking increases your heart rate and we can't have it going crazy."

Bella reached behind her, taking my engorged member in her hands. She positioned herself over me—slowly, tantalizingly, teasingly, deliciously— enveloping me in her heat.

"Fuck me," I grunted and threw my head back into the sheets. My hands were digging into the flesh of her ass, guiding her down until I was stretching her to the max.

"Stop talking," she repeated, and the roll of her hips was so deliberate that I could feel every inch of her insides. We were moving so alluringly slow that it was almost torturous.

I nodded again, shutting my eyes when she gave me another hip rotation; her pelvis met mine. Bella grabbed onto the headboard, continuing to slide her body up and down over me.

I had never in my life been on the bottom, because I needed to be in control, but this was heavenly. How could I have lived my whole life without experiencing such a simple thrill? This was sensational, and I was hitting angles that I didn't even think were possible.

We kept it slow, our pace never reaching anything too hurried or rushed. This was… hot.

"Bella, you're killing me," I said as she did all the work, rotating her ass above me and keeping me completely enclosed within her the whole time.

I think I heard her say something else, but I couldn't be sure.

When she leaned back, Bella immediately clutched the footboard of the bed, and her body was now almost completely parallel with mine. I was still buried in her, but I had easier access to her bundle of nerves, and the moment I touched her she trembled violently.

I continued my rubbing on her wet slit as she rolled onto my cock, a little harder with each movement and definitely more fiercely. Just watching her amazing body on top of mine was the picture of my dreams, and I couldn't stop myself. I exploded deep inside her heat, fluid spilling everywhere. I felt her walls ripple around me, and I twitched on the bed as I completely emptied myself.

I kept my eyes closed and rested my head on the pillows, feeling my dick pulse out all I had.

Bella straightened back up a little bit. I grabbed her by the hips and pulled her down beside me as I wrapped my arms around her.

"That was fucking incredible," I breathed into her hair.

"I can't believe I just did that."

"You didn't enjoy it?"

"I want to go again. We're going to be in so much trouble."

"My heart didn't give out so I think we're good." I laughed as much as I could with my lack of oxygen.

We didn't talk for a long time, not even bothering to clean our bodies up.

I didn't hear anything else from Bella as she drifted off to sleep. Or at least I think she did. Her breathing slowed and her body didn't move.

And once I was sure she was asleep, I finally let myself drift off as well, more relaxed than I'd been in months.

She could control me any time she wanted.

* * *

**HOLY TORTUROUS LEMON BATMAN**

**HA. I LOVE IT. YOU REALLY DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO MAKE YOU WAIT THREE MONTHS FOR OUR NEXT SOUR TREAT. OF COURSE NOT. I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO LAST. **

**THE FIRST PART OF THE MIAMI VACATION IS DONE BUT COME BACK ON TUESDAY FOR MORE. IT WILL BE A HOOT AND THEN...WELL YOU'LL SEE. EXPLOSIVE CHAPTERS COMING UP. **

**IF YOU DONT KNOW BY NOW, I POSTED MY FIRST O/S THE OTHER DAY. ITS ON MY PROFILE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ ME ON TWITTER FOR POSTING UPDATES AND SOME GOOD OLE FASHION FUN **(at)johnnyboy1029**  
**

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR THE BETA**

**HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE**

**JOHNNYBOY OUT!**


	40. Chapter 39

Marine Biology

BELLA POV

_"I have seen the movement of the sinews of the sky, And the blood coursing in the veins of the moon."- Muhammad Iqbal _

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

I lightly chopped the carrot on the cutting board and the boat swayed again, causing my head to do a little flip.

"Damn it." I steadied myself against the counter.

I had never really been subject to seasickness with Charlie basically living on fishing boats, but I was suddenly feeling every roll of each wave. This damned boat was going to be the death of me.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Edward asked from the table.

"No, I'm fine." I continued with my chopping. When the carrots were done, I put them in the boiling pot on the stove.

"What are we having again?"

"Vegetable stew," I answered and stirred the soup that was bubbling away.

"Does it have flavor?" Edward grumbled.

"I don't know why you act like I don't season stuff. Everything doesn't need buttloads of salt."

"Yes it does. Salt makes everything better."

"So says the man who had a heart attack."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Speaking of which, have you taken your medicine today?"

"Yes."

I put the top on the pot and went to go sit next to him on the chaise lounge, which was on the deck outside.

Capriccio was docked and bobbing in the water, and the sun was beaming. Edward and I were the only ones here right now. Alice and Jasper went shopping, Rose and Emmett went to the beach, and Alec met up with Jane, who happened to live around here. He had been absent since the day we arrived. He called her, and that was the last we saw of him. I was hoping that he knew when we left, or he might just stay here. But that wasn't for another couple of days.

At first, I didn't know about this trip. Edward was still in remission, and I wanted to make sure that he was okay, but I was actually glad that he dragged us all here. We were pretty wound up. I had basically pushed spring break out of my mind, but this was surprisingly relaxing.

All we did was sit on the boat and read or… do nothing. Edward didn't like sand, so we never went to the beach, but I was alright with that as long as he was relaxing and having a good time. I tried to back off of him a little. I began to realize that I was acting like his mother and not his girlfriend. I kept a close eye, but didn't hound him as much when he didn't take his medicine or wasn't getting enough sleep.

Capriccio hadn't been out on the water yet because Edward wasn't up to it, but Emmett said he would take us out later. As for now, we stayed docked next to the hundreds of other boats that lived in Miami harbor.

"What are you doing?" I sat on the plush sofa next to him as he typed furiously on his laptop.

"Shopping." He turned it towards me.

"Armani, of course." I looked at the screen, which had posh looking suits and shiny shoes.

"I need new clothes."

"You always need new clothes." I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Well, I can't go out looking like a bum."

"I like you when you're bumming it," I laughed, "You're all scruffy and rugged."

"I have to look professional to get the job done."

"That won't be a problem since you won't be working for a very long time."

"But, I'm bored. All I ever do is sit."

"Do you want to run a marathon?"

"No, but I would settle for another good fuck," he said hopefully.

"That was a onetime thing. You took advantage of me," I sighed; images of skin against skin flashed through my head. I couldn't think like that, or I might jump him right here.

He chuckled deeply, "I don't recall you complaining."

"I was under the influence." I held fast to my theory that his eyes had hypnotized me.

"Yeah, yeah. Can we at least go swimming?"

"Yes, I think that's acceptable, but only after we eat. It's been too long since breakfast." I got up to check the soup.

"Isn't it too hot for that?"

"Soup is always good and good for you."

"Alright, Bella. Whatever you say," Edward sighed, continuing to type on his laptop, "You know, at some point, I would like my balls back."

"You can gladly have them in a month or two. Taking care of you is exhausting. I can't wait to go back to being a girlfriend."

He laughed, "One month and I'm back on top, Bella."

"Yes, sir."

I think it must be the waves or the sun, but he was very chilled. I had never seen him so relaxed. It might just be the drugs, but his stress level was considerably lower than normal, which was an extremely good thing. I guess he had just given up and decided to let me take care of him. That was the only option anyway since I wasn't going anywhere, although, I could still see how uncomfortable he was with being out of commission. I knew he was a "free spirit" or whatever you wanted to call it, but his health was in danger. And that was something I wasn't going to take lightly. Edward was finally accepting my help.

I filled two bowls with soup and brought them outside. Edward put the laptop away, and we ate together, talking and looking at the water.

"Do you want to go anywhere today?" he asked me.

"Not really. I at least want to see the beach once before we leave though."

Edward shuddered. "Okay, we can go."

"Not you. You might have a panic attack."

"I just don't understand why there has to be sand. It's filled with germs and gets everywhere."

I had no answer for him, so we went back to eating.

Five minutes later, the boat swayed again and this time, I felt it deep within the pit of my stomach. I shot up from the couch and leaned over the side of the railing, throwing up the soup that I had just ingested.

Edward was rubbing my back as I emptied my stomach; it took me a second to get my breathing back.

"Are you alright?" he asked in my ear.

I nodded. "I'm fine. I just haven't been on a boat in a while."

"Hold on, let me get you a seasickness patch." He left my side for a quick second and came back, placing the patch behind my ear. I didn't immediately feel better, but I could feel the effects of my sickness start to recede slightly.

"Thank you." I went to go sit back down and took a large gulp of water. My mouth was incredibly dry.

"I didn't know you got seasick. We've been on the boat before."

"I know. It's just been a long time. It's nothing." I gave him a tight smile so that he wouldn't worry.

Edward and I lied on the sofa while I waited for my stomach to settle. We changed the subject and started talking about Edward's experience with surfing. I had hinted that I might want to try it, but after hearing his story again, there was no way that I was getting on a board. I was stupid for even thinking it.

We were outside for about an hour and I was almost asleep when Emmett's loud voice boomed from inside.

"Hello, kiddies. Where are you two?"

"Emmett, stop talking so loud," Rose snapped. "This isn't a zoo."

"Bella! Edward!" he shouted.

"Just stay perfectly still and don't say anything," Edward whispered to me. I nodded, my eyes still trying to close.

"I know they're in here." Emmett's feet pounded around the boat.

Rose shut the door to the deck after sticking her head outside. "I guess they went on land."

"Then who made this soup?"

"Emmett, just leave it."

"Those two are no fun. All they do is sit and read."

I laughed quietly at that. Edward and I were fine with just sitting and reading. That would be heaven.

"Just let them have a relaxing break," Rose pleaded with him.

"We're in fucking Miami. You can't stay on a boat all day."

Edwards breathing had slowed and I could tell that he was starting to fall asleep, so I wanted Emmett to shut the fuck up.

The sliding door opened. "Oh, I found them," Emmett yelled.

Edward jerked awake, but I pushed him back down. "Go to sleep." I climbed off of him. He mumbled something I couldn't understand before his eyes closed.

I shoved Emmett inside. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What? I wanted to take you guys to the beach."

"You know you're brother needs his rest and you come thundering through here like this is a football game."

"I tried to tell him." Rose sat on the couch.

"Well, you two are boring as hell."

"What do you want?"

"Come to the beach with us. Alice, Jasper, and I found this amazing spot and there's barely anybody there. You have to see it."

"I can't leave Edward here by himself," I said.

"I'm staying." Rose flipped through a magazine. "I'll take care of the old fart."

"That makes me even more worried."

"He'll be fine, Bella," Emmett pleaded. "Get off of this fucking boat."

I didn't know if I felt right leaving Edward. This was a vacation, but I was supposed to be watching him. What he forgot his medicine? What if he slept through dinner? What if he fell off of the boat? There were too many horrible options to choose from.

"Bella, just go." Rosalie waved her hand. "He'll be fine."

"Alright, alright," I conceded. "Just for an hour though."

"Yeah, sure." Emmett nodded eagerly. "Just go get dressed."

I was pushed back into my room and I started searching through the large closet for something to wear. I don't know how he did it or how much time he had, but everything in all the rooms was stocked, thanks to Edward. He must have pulled a hell of a lot of strings to get things done so quickly. There were clothes and food ready to last us for more than the measly week we were here. Of course, all the clothes were fashionable and expensive, but I didn't bother arguing with anyone about it.

I found one of the least scary bathing suits, which happened to be a two piece. I couldn't find anything else. I just thanked God that it wasn't a piece of fabric and triangles. I wouldn't have gone anywhere in that. It was dark green and pretty simple for a bikini. I covered it was some jean shorts and a white t-shirt. I pulled on my shoes and grabbed Edward's sunglasses.

"Finally," Emmett hopped up when I came back from the room, "we were waiting forever."

By this time, Jasper and Alice were there as well. She was going off about this amazing spot on the beach that I just had to see because it was so peaceful and apparently secluded. I was still a little worried about leaving Edward. He was still asleep, but I was leaning more and more towards just saying here.

"…and we saw dolphins this morning." Alice bounced. "I got a lot of pictures. You have to come with us. Stop thinking that you aren't."

"But what if he gets hurt?" I asked.

"Bella, he's not an invalid. He can walk, use the bathroom, and he can breathe." Rose rolled her eyes.

"And you're supposed to be taking care of him?" My eyebrow shot up skeptically.

"For your information, I used to work in a hospital," she argued, still not getting up from the couch. "That bastard won't ever die."

"You're not really helping," Jasper said.

"Can we just go before I change my mind?" I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, writing a letter to Edward so that he knew where I went. Something told me that Rose wasn't going to take the time to tell him.

We left the boat and my feet hit solid ground for the first time since being here. I put on my sunglasses and followed Emmett towards a group of cars in the far parking lot. They were incredibly stylish and shiny.

"Do these belong to you guys?" I asked.

"Rented," Jasper answered, "although, I think Emmett's having a love affair with one of them."

"I will steal this one." Emmett laid his big body over the hood of a bright red Ferrari. "It's my baby."

"Boys and their toys," Alice whispered to me. I nodded.

I got in the passenger's seat of the Ferrari with Emmett driving and he sped out of the parking lot with a roar. I had to admit that it was very fast and incredibly smooth. I was impressed, although, I had no idea what Emmett was saying. He liked going over the stats of the vehicles, and he could have been speaking gibberish for all I knew.

The car ride was quick and Emmett masterfully navigated his way through the crowded streets. Everything was so bright and lively. I peered out of the window like a kid in a candy store. I had never been here before, so everything was so new to me.

"We're going to go out to a club or something before we leave. How can you spend all your time on a boat?" Emmett asked.

"I'm just trying to keep Edward relaxed."

"He'll be fine. That old geezer just needs to get over this heart thing."

"He's trying."

"Well, that doesn't mean we can't have fun."

Emmett upped the speed of the Ferrari, taking her over one hundred. I just shut my eyes until we stopped easily a couple of minutes later.

"Are we there?" I looked around at the secluded lot that didn't have any cars in it except Jasper's. There were a lot of palm tress through and it looked beautiful.

"It's just through there." Emmett pointed. "We have to walk to the beach and then we found this cave that's so cool."

He jumped out of the car, and I followed. Jasper and Alice were carrying baskets that I hoped were filled with food because I was suddenly hungry again.

I didn't question them as we went on the dirt path, through the thickets of tropical flowers and vegetation. It looked like we were going through a botanical garden of sorts.

The trees broke and suddenly, we entered another world.

I could see the shine from the crystal cerulean water a mile away. It was so different from a regular beach, and it was as almost if we were in a movie. The deep blue water in contrast with the pale, white sand was enough to make me almost jump out of my clothes to go swimming.

"I love this place." Jasper spread out a blanket when we got towards the water.

"Aren't you glad you came now?" Alice pulled her shirt over her head revealing a hot pink bikini top.

"It is kind of nice." I tried not to think about Edward back on the boat.

"This is more than nice." Emmett ripped off his shirt and bounded towards the water.

We all followed, and I was surprised at how warm it was. The ocean was so clear that I could see my feet at the bottom. Emmett thought it was unacceptable that I wasn't submerged so he pulled me out to the deep waves where they came up to my chest. I had to basically hold onto him for dear life, or I was going to be carried away.

We must have spent an hour in the water and Jasper tried to teach us how to boogie board. Emmett was too big, I was too clumsy, and Alice was too busy picking up seashells to care.

"I should have brought my camera," I sighed while floating on my back in the deep water.

"This is the fucking life," Emmett said. "Too bad we have to work."

"Work?"

"Duh, that's the whole reason we're here."

I stood up in the water. "Really?"

Emmett's face fell. "No, I was lying."

"You're backtracking. Did Edward drag us down here for work?"

"No."

"Tell me the truth." I jumped on his back. I didn't know what that would do, but at least he wasn't getting away from me.

"I can't. I didn't mean to say that. We're here to relax."

"I can't believe you guys. You know he's sick and you just feed into his stress."

"And you don't? Please. You didn't think you two were that quiet when you were fucking each other's brains out the other night," he laughed.

"Shut up. You're going to kill him."

"It takes a couple hours tops to get to Cuba, and then we're back like nothing ever happened."

"Cuba?" I almost shouted.

"We have some things to pick up. Don't get your panties in a bunch." Emmett started to paddle back to shore, carrying us over the waves.

"I knew there was a reason why we were here. I should have stayed in Chicago."

"You can't admit that you aren't having fun."

"Edward needs to relax."

"And he has been; he just has some work to do also."

I climbed off of his back and stomped back up the sand to where Jasper and Alice were sitting.

"What's wrong with you?" Alice asked me when I plopped down on the towel next to her.

"Did you know they were here for work?"

"Dude, you spilled?" Jasper asked Emmett.

"She forced it out of me," he said pathetically.

"Did you really expect anything else?" Alice said to me. "All they ever do is work."

I grabbed a book from the bag we had brought and propped it open.

I knew Edward was up to something. All that typing on the computer, he could only buy so many clothes. He was going to get his ass handed to him when I got back.

I guess I was being slightly hypocritical since Edward and I did break the rules earlier on in the trip, but… well, I needed some sexual release. _He made me do it!_ That was the story I was sticking to.

I read a few chapters of my book and blew off some steam. I was still extremely hungry. Maybe it was from the waves, or the fact that I hadn't eaten in a while, but I ate two sandwiches from what Jasper had packed. After about three hours, I had calmed down slightly but was still mad at Emmett for even considering working on this trip.

"Come on, Bella. He made us come." He pouted playfully. "I didn't mean to get the beast all riled up."

"You're just trying to kill him." I shook my head, not lifting my head from my book.

"Just don't tell him I told you. Act like you don't even know."

"If I seem him getting to stressed, we're pulling right back around," I said firmly.

"Edward doesn't even have to leave the boat," Emmett promised.

"Does it even matter what I say? You guys would go anyway."

"True, but Cuba is the best. You'll see."

After that, I was kind of tired, as was everyone else, so we took a good nap in the sun. The beach was secluded enough that we weren't bothered. Emmett kept himself awake so that he could keep watch.

I stretched myself awake after what felt like months. My body was incredibly tired.

Everyone seemed to wake up at the same time that I did. Jasper rolled over with a loud groan, and Alice popped up with renewed energy.

"What are we going to do now?" Emmett asked, chewing on a candy bar.

"We can't just leave. This is probably the only time we'll get to come back here," Alice pouted.

"What about that cave you guys found?" I suggested.

"Oh, I'm not going." Alice sat back down. "That place gives me the creeps."

"But it's so cool." Jasper got excited. "Come on, Bella. I'll show you."

He quickly pulled me up off the ground and began tugging me away from the group. Emmett and Alice waved us away.

"Slow down," I said.

"Sorry, but we have to catch it while the tide is out."

"How far away is this place?" I asked as our run slowed to a brisk walk.

"A couple miles."

"A couple miles?" I repeated. "Do you think I'm some kind of marathon runner?"

"It doesn't seem that long. Stop complaining."

Jasper and I had a rare moment alone as we walked further down the isolated beach. We had never really been alone before, but I liked Jasper. He had this way about him that made you feel calm. I don't know how he did it, but he could talk melodically for hours about the Civil War or something boring like that, and you had to listen to him. You were drawn in and felt like understanding him more.

Like Jasper said, it didn't even feel like a couple of miles when we started walking. Before I knew it, he was getting more eager to show me this cave that was supposedly the best thing in the world.

"There it is." He pointed in the distance at a large mountain looking thing.

"Are we supposed to climb that?"

"No, there's a place where you can go inside. It glows at nighttime."

"Glows?"

"Yeah, it has something to do with the water and the light reflections. I don't know." He shrugged.

"Alright, then. Sounds cool to me."

We continued our walk for a couple of minutes, still talking. I was so wrapped up in his words that I almost forgot that Edward had dragged us all down here for work on the side. I bet he was back at the boat now typing away on that computer dealing with business. He was a grown man, so I wasn't going to lock him up. As long as he wasn't taxing himself too much, I guessed it was okay. I was just going to have to watch him.

"Alright, so we have lots of time before the tide comes back in, but watch the rocks. They can be kind of sharp," Jasper warned as we neared the cave, which I saw was a giant cutout in the walled ledge.

He helped me over the rocks, and my shoes got wet as we sunk into the low puddles left by the waves.

"Are you sure this is safe?" I asked.

"Yeah, we won't have a problem for another hour."

"If you say so." I crossed the threshold into the cavernous area. Even my steps echoed off of the damp walls.

It wasn't a place with stalactites or anything like that, but it was huge. The floor was made of soft sand; there were tidal pools that filled every time the waves rolled in. I could see small fish in them and was amazed that they could live their entire lives in a circle.

The ceiling must have been a couple stories up, and there were holes in it that let sunlight stream through. The cave could have gone back for miles, but there was no way in hell I was going that far. It looked too dark back there to be safe.

"Isn't it awesome?" Jasper walked around, his voice bouncing off of the walls.

"This is kind of cool. How did you find this place?"

"I was going for a run a couple days ago and came here for some reason. Alice must have taken thousands of pictures when I brought her here."

I walked around with wide eyes as I explored the new, fascinating scene. It wasn't dark at all, but still very mysterious at the same time.

"Bella, come over here and look at this." Jasper was standing ankle deep in a small pool near the entrance of the cave.

I ran over to him and stared at the clear water where small fishes were swimming around his feet. I stepped in the pool with him, and the seaweed tickled my skin as it swayed in the waves.

"There's a starfish," Jasper pointed out.

"Are those things really alive?"

"I guess so." He said. "I always wanted to be a marine biologist or something like that. I almost tried to live at SeaWorld when I was a kid."

"And how did that work out?"

"Esme and Carlisle took us a couple times. I snuck away from them and hid under a counter in one of the gift shack things."

"Are you serious?"

"I was going to wait there all day. I actually made it until closing. The sun was down and everything. Eventually, some guy found me, but I sure as hell was fighting to get back to Shamu."

"What did Esme do?"

"She was crying so hard; I don't think she really cared, but Carlisle beat my ass six ways from Sunday. He was pissed, and I don't think I sat down for at least a month after that."

"I'll just add that story to the list of horrifying adventures you guys put your mother through over the years."

"That wasn't even as bad as the time Edward beat up the kid at Six Flags in high school. The kid was in the hospital for three weeks. His parents sued and everything."

"So he's had a rage problem all his life?" I almost laughed.

"Basically,"

The tide started to roll in over our feet, which were still submerged in the pool.

"Should we be worried?" I asked as the waves continued to come in.

"No, but we'll have to pay attention to the current. We'll leave in a sec."

A particularly rough wave crashed into us, and I stumbled back a little bit. Something sharp cut my left shin. I didn't know what it was, but it felt like my whole leg was being sliced by a sharp knife.

I jumped out of the pool quickly and looked down at the now red mark that was on my skin. It was a raised abrasion that almost ran up my entire leg, towards my knee. The spot started out throbbing softly, but in seconds, erupted in pain.

"Ouch," I said under my breath and tried to walk out of the cave, but couldn't put any pressure on my leg.

"Where are you going?" Jasper jumped out of the pool and came over to me.

"I think something bit me." The ache was bearable, but getting worse.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think it's just time to go." I tried to hobble away and made it out of the cave with Jasper carrying our shoes.

"Bella, maybe you need to sit down," he suggested.

"No, everything's alright," I lied. In actuality, my entire leg was stinging painfully.

Jasper stopped me from walking, and I gently sat in the sand away from the waves.

"What the hell happened?" I said through clenched teeth.

"I think a jellyfish got you." He examined my leg like he knew what he was doing.

"A jellyfish?"

"Yup, looks that way. Looks really painful, actually."

"No shit. I thought these weren't supposed to hurt that bad." I laid back, and I was suddenly tempted to scratch the skin off of my leg.

"Those are the small ones. Florida has big ass jellyfish."

"And you took me to the cave where they live?" I almost slapped him. It might have been the pain.

"Well, I didn't know they lived there. Stay still," he ordered.

"I can't. I want to fucking scratch it."

"No, don't touch it."

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," he admitted.

"Aren't you supposed to be some super marine biologist?" I was getting extremely agitated.

"When I was eight. Stop squirming."

"Let's just get back." I tried to stand up, but he had to help me.

I got about two steps before I started hopping on one leg.

"Bella, you can't go three miles like that." Jasper quickly followed after me.

"I'm fine," I challenged, knowing perfectly well that I was acting stupidly.

"If you say so."

I hopped for a full mile, even though it was exhausting. I'm sure I was doing more harm than good, but Jasper wasn't helping at all. He was suggesting stupid stuff about how I was supposed to get stung again and the first sting wouldn't hurt as much. I was tempted to believe him. Anything to help the burning would have been helpful.

When we reached the two-mile mark, I took a break.

"I think I have to pee on it." Jasper sat next to me.

"What?" I gave him a deadly look. There was no way he was peeing on me.

"That's what they say you have to do." He shrugged. "Pee on it."

"If you come anywhere near me…" I scooted away from him.

"Well, are you going to crawl back?"

"Yes."

At this point, the mark on my leg was looking very unhealthy. It had been about an hour and a half since that damned jellyfish had got me. I didn't know anything about this, so I hoped I wasn't being poisoned or anything.

"Bella, I know what to do. Just listen to me." Jasper was having way too much fun.

"Oh, really? A while ago, you didn't know what the hell was going on and you now suddenly have the cure?"

"It just took me a second to remember."

I crawled away from him in the direction of Emmett and Alice, praying that they came looking for us soon.

"You're never going to make it." Jasper's arms strongly lifted me up, and he started carrying me down the beach.

I grumbled for another mile, but he wouldn't put me down. The pain was radiating now and everything from my ankle to about my thigh was numb. I started to get scared that I was going to have to amputate something. Did they still do that? This relaxing beach day wasn't turning out well.

"Okay, that's it." Jasper set me down.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm peeing on you." Jasper started to adjust himself in his swim trunks.

"Whoa, wait!" I covered my eyes. "First of all, you're not peeing on me, and second, we're almost back."

"We're not going to make it the last mile. You might get infected or something."

"I can handle the pain. I'm sure Alice has something in her bag that I can take until we get back to the boat."

"Will you just shut up and let me handle this?"

"You aren't peeing on me," I repeated.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I'll tie you down if I have to."

"Jasper, please don't make me do this. We're in public."

"You think I care? I once had an orgy at a high school football game under the bleachers."

"As happy as I am for you, I'm not agreeing to this." I started to crawl away again and actually got a couple feet before Jasper caught up.

He stopped me, turned my leg over and whipped out his dick like it was nothing. He didn't even give me any warning, and I saw it all. He wasn't as big as Edward, but I could see how Alice would be pleased. I guess on the list of male genitalia that I had seen in my life, he ranked number two—after Edward but before Mike. It was nice.

_Wait. Why am I comparing genitalia? _

"Oh, my God." I almost cried at the embarrassment of it all. I was red everywhere from my blush, "Stop it."

"No, you're going to get an infection and die."

"Is this even proven to work?"

"Who knows? Stop talking; it's hard to pee when people talk."

"Put your dick away. There could be children around." I peeked through my fingers and saw that he was still swinging in the wind, trying to calm down enough to get going.

"If there are kids around, they'll just learn a little human anatomy."

"This isn't what I had in my mind for today."

"You're still talking. You're making me very nervous, Bella."

"I thought you were the big orgy guy?"

"Yeah, but performance anxiety is only a problem in the beginning. I have to at least get going. Stay still."

"I think I can make it back." I quickly tried to judge the distance and figured that there was only a mile left. "How about we…."

"Success," Jasper sighed, and I felt cringed as a warm stream of… whatever dripped onto my leg.

It dripped down my skin, and I was too grossed out to even think about the pain. My leg could have been blown off, and I wouldn't have known.

"Stop moving, you're making me miss," Jasper said.

"This is… just sick." I tried not to think about it, but the smell of urine was strong and unpleasant.

_He was peeing on me. _

I had to say it a couple of times before it really sank it.

Surprisingly, the sting subdued. It wasn't gone completely, but the pain kind of stopped.

"Are you done yet?" I almost begged.

He gave the obligatory man pee sigh. "Yup," he replied enthusiastically.

"Should I… wipe it off?"

"I don't know. How does it feel?"

"Better," I admitted.

"I guess we just leave it on there." Jasper said like it was nothing.

"Did you not just realize that you peed on me?"

"Hasn't been the first time I've peed on someone although that time, I was drunk and couldn't help it." He lifted me up again, and we began our walk back.

* * *

**HOLY JELLYFISH BITE BATMAN**

**THOSE LITTLE SUCKERS CAUSE SO MUCH TROUBLE, DONT THEY? HEHEHE. THAT WAS SO NASTY, I KNOW. I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF THOUGH. I GUESS NOW BELLA AND JASPER ARE CONNECTED IN A WAY HER AND EDWARD CAN'T BE. AND IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, URINE IS ACTUALLY A REMEDY FOR JELLYFISH BITES SO I WASN'T BEING EXCESSIVELY NASTY. LOL  
**

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR THE BETA HELP**

**ALSO, I HAVEN'T MENTIONED IT IN A WHILE BUT FOR ALL THOSE NEW READERS, I DO HAVE A TWBB BLOG WHERE I POST TEASERS. GO OVER THERE AND GET A SNEAK PEEK OF THE NEXT CHAPTERS **http:/johnnyboy1029(dot)blogspot(dot)com/

**COME BACK ON Friday FOR MORE. **


	41. Chapter 40

Helen of Troy

EDWARD POV

_"Homer portrays champions on both sides carving paths of blood through the enemy as if they were supermen - or as if they were pharaohs, often described by Egyptian texts as superheroes in battle."-Anonymous _

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

How boring can church get?

We had already been here for about an hour. I was hoping that if I closed my eyes, it would all just go away, but no such luck. Father was going on and on about how we needed to give more to our community and shit like that. It seemed like he forgot about how generous the Cullens had been in the past few years. This church was basically built with our money, so I think we were done in the gift giving for the next century or so.

Maybe it was the fact that the sun was actually shining today, but no one seemed to be fully here. We all wanted to be outside and enjoying our first day of good weather. It was also one of the first times that I had been allowed to be in normal society. A couple of days ago, the doctor gave me a thumbs-up at my appointment. My health was getting better; I guessed all of Bella's psychotic theories were working.

Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy the day because of fucking church.

To make matters worse, there was this snot nosed kid sitting in front of us, who kept turning around and making faces at me. What happened to parental control? He must have been about four, but he should have known how to act normal. This was ridiculous. It was like his parents didn't even notice his bad behavior.

"Can we go?" I whispered to Bella, who was sitting next to me.

"I think Esme would kill us both."

"This kid won't leave me alone."

"Just ignore him. He'll stop if you don't react."

"I highly doubt that." I sat back in my seat.

The kid smirked at me and turned around, sticking out his tongue.

I ground my teeth together and just kept my eyes forward. He continued to make noises and wave his hand in front of my face, but I was trying to be a grown up about this. I should have just smacked the kid, but that might provide some issues with child abuse and things like that. I was pretty sure people would take my side when I told them the story of how this brat was messing with me. Maybe not.

As the minutes went on, the boy got more and more daring. He eventually started blowing spitballs in my direction. I was ducking them like bombs and probably making a fool of myself. Emmett and Jasper were laughing their asses off.

"He keeps bothering me," I told Bella.

She reached in her pursed and pulled out a piece of candy, handing it to the kid who took it with eager eyes. He sat back down and started munching on it.

"This is why I don't like children. If he messes with me again, I might snap."

She was fighting a laugh. "I wonder where Esme went wrong with you."

"I was a bad apple from the start," I teased.

I went back to not really paying attention to the stupid sermon. My mind started to drift off further, but was immediately brought back when a wad of spit landed on my forehead. This time, it was sticky, and I smelled grape.

"Son of a bitch." I took out my handkerchief and wiped the glob off of my face.

The boy was laughing under his breath and snorting like a pig at his new form of torture. He kept ducking down into the pew, trying to see if I was looking at him. I reached my limit and had to remind myself that I had a heart condition, or I might have just blown up right there.

He popped his head back up, and I snatched the straw from his grubby little fingers. He pouted and his lips went into a snarl.

"Go away," I said.

"No, give me back my straw," he replied. "I'll start screaming."

"Shut up you little pot licker or I'll put you in a microwave," I spat.

"You shut up." He puckered his face. "I don't have to listen to you."

"You're so annoying. Your parents don't love you." I said the first thing that came to mind just to make him feel bad.

Of course, his mother chose that exact second to turn around and had a horrified look on her face. She pulled her son towards her. She started whispering to her husband who peeked over his shoulder to look at me.

"What the hell are you looking at? Learn to control your kid or I'll do it for you." I whispered to her.

"This is just too funny. I have to get my camera." Rose started digging through her purse.

"I hate all of you," was my reply.

Finally, after what felt like another five hours, church was finished and people started to get out of the pews. Thankfully, the mother and her snotty brat bypassed me completely and rushed out of the church. The father followed after glaring at me for a couple seconds.

"At least you didn't punch him in the mouth." Bella took my hand.

"I was tempted to. Why don't people give spankings anymore?"

"Do you want to go to confessional?" she laughed. "I'm sure we can get all the evil out of you."

"I'll go if you go," I dared her, not actually thinking that she would go for it.

"Alright." She nodded, pulling me out of the sanctuary.

"No, Bella. I was just kidding."

"You said you would. We both need some religion."

"I hate going into that booth."

"How about I go first, and then you can just sit there if you don't want to talk to the priest."

"I like the sound of that."

"Okay, but you can't leave me here."

"I won't. Just go." I pushed her towards the confessional booth. She went inside, and I sat on a bench near the opposite wall.

I waited for about half an hour. All of this stuff wasn't really my style, but if Bella really wanted to get in touch with her religious side, I wasn't going to stop her. Maybe I did need some form of piety in my life. It couldn't hurt. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't going to start basing my actions on any type of moral code, but a prayer now and then might get me a good word upstairs with the big guy.

When Bella was done, per our agreement, I went inside of the booth.

"May the Lord be in our heart to help you make a good confession," the priest said.

I sighed heavily and crossed myself. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was about two months ago."

"Hello, Edward. Nice to hear from you again," a deep, Irish accent replied.

"Wait, you're not Father Romana." I peeked through the mesh panel.

"No, I'm Father O'Hare. You were in my history class in high school."

"You're still alive?" I asked.

"I sure am. Actually, my birthday is next week," he chuckled, obviously enjoying my discomfort.

"I never liked you. Can I talk to Father Romana or at least an Italian?"

"You don't like the Irish?"

"If I recall correctly, you have a problem with Italians."

"It's not that I have a problem with them, but I've never met one that I like." His shoulders hitched. "Well, minus your mother of course."

I almost laughed at the irony of it all. She was part Irish, unbeknownst to him. The bastard could probably sense it; some kind of Irish code.

"How about we just stick to the topic," Father O'Hare suggested.

"I don't want to speak with you."

"Edward, let's be grownups."

I rolled my eyes. "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned."

"Please recite your sins, my child."

"Uh, I have a lot of them."

"I'm listening."

I tried to think about what I could say that was actually legal or that I didn't have to explain.

"That many?" He grinned.

"I cursed this morning."

"I know you can do better than that."

"I wanted to smack a child in church."

"That…is interesting."

"Can I just get my blessing and go?"

"Your girlfriend had quite a lot to say."

"About what?"

"I can't tell you that, Edward. What we discuss in here is private."

"I think we're done." I pushed open the door of the booth and fixed myself up before going over to Bella.

"How did it go?" She jumped up from the bench.

"It was good. Got a lot off of my chest." I lied, in church no less.

We walked out into the bright sun, putting on our sunglasses and spotting the rest of the family in the parking lot across the street. Even though I was in better health, I still wasn't allowed to drive just yet. Carlisle wouldn't let me, no matter how much I protested.

Bella and I got in the back seat of Emmett's Hummer before we drove off towards the cemetery to change the flowers like we always did.

"Can you go a little faster?" I sighed in frustration.

"Some of us don't live our lives on the racetrack." Emmett looked at me in the rearview. "And for your information, I'm pushing ninety."

"That's still grandma slow."

"Just shut up and sit back. You can't drive anyway."

"When I get my cars back, we're drag racing and I'm going to kick your ass."

We argued all the way to the cemetery and, much to Esme's dismay, we kept it up when we got out of the car. She tried to tell us to calm down, but Emmett was being a bitch. Bella just pulled me away from him, and we went through our normal Sunday ritual.

When that was finished, we piled back into the cars, and our caravan pulled out towards the house. This was the first time in a long time when the schedule wasn't interrupted.

We got back from Miami two nights ago so it was time to get back to normal. Bella was going to be back in school tomorrow. I dreaded to think that I had to find something to do. Maybe I could convince Carlisle to let me work. Even if he didn't, I would probably sneak a look at the books or take a taxi down to the docks, where we had a shipment of coke coming in tomorrow. That would be fun.

The whole ride over to my parent's house, Bella held my hand, playing with my fingers.

"What are you doing?" I asked her.

"Tracing the lines of your hands," she said without lifting her head.

"Why?"

"Because I like them. They're perfect." Her small fingers laid on mine. "They're my favorite part of your body."

"The favorite?" I chuckled.

"Well, besides the obvious, and if it makes you feel any better, you're bigger than Jasper."

I still didn't like what had gone down in Miami. Jasper peed on Bella? My Bella? That was just disgusting. I got that it was necessary, but anything would have been better than that particular option.

When they got back and told be what had happened, I almost flipped my lid. Not only was Bella hurting from a jellyfish sting, but Jasper was laughing his ass off. He said that Bella now belonged to him since he had "marked her". Well, that didn't sit well with me, and I almost threw his ass overboard. I was thinking about peeing on her myself just to stake my own claim, but that just seemed a little too sick, even for me. That bastard could have done anything but give her a golden shower.

I was now grossed out every time I even looked at the both of them.

I calmed down enough to get Bella to the coast guard, who said that she actually had a pretty nasty rash. He put some cream on it that cleared the thing right up, but I was still pissed. I was further angered when he told me that urine doesn't really help jellyfish bites; at least not the ones down in Florida. That only made Jasper roll with more laughter. Bella stayed in a constant state of embarrassment for the rest of our trip, because Emmett was bringing it up every five seconds—I tried not to listen to him. And to finish our epic vacation, Bella got food poisoning in Miami, although, she tried to tell me if wasn't anything. She didn't have a fever, but she would throw up sporadically. Bella was a master at hiding things. I might have not even noticed when she slipped out of bed to vomit in the middle of the night if I wasn't a light sleeper.

One person, who became increasingly absent during our family vacation, was Alec. By pure coincidence, Jane from the Bahamas, lived in Miami. I was concerned that her cousin, Ginger the Stripper, might be with her, but Jane said she went to school in New York. I was glad that I wasn't going to have to dodge bullets the entire vacation. Alec and Jane were inseparable, always talking or laughing. When we left, Alec was in the worst mood ever. He was sulky and snapped at the littlest of things. Even today, he wasn't very happy to be back home.

"What's this?" Bella asked me and traced a scar on my wrist.

"I got stabbed," I said.

"Really?" Her eyes went wide.

"Yeah, it was a long time ago. Felix got frisky one day and decided to take a kitchen knife to me."

"I don't like that guy." Bella positioned herself so that she was closer to me. "He's so creepy."

"I'm trying to find him," I vowed.

"Are you going to kill him?"

"Probably," I answered truthfully.

"You're going to start a war over me?" she asked, but it was really more of a statement.

"They had no right to go after you like that. They know you're off limits. I've warned everyone on multiple occasions but it keeps happening. The only option is to eradicate the source of the problem."

"Just sit down with them again and have a talk." Bella's eyes were pleading. "I'm sure they would listen…"

"I'm over talking. I won't put up with their shit anymore."

"You can't kill people over me. What do you think that does to my conscience?"

"Do you understand how much you mean to me? I don't know what I would do without you; I've tried, and it's not a pretty picture, if you remember correctly. Just the thought of someone trying to hurt you gets me so furious…"

"Alright, calm down." She wrapped my hand in hers. "I know that. I just want you to be safe. I feel like you're always doing these dangerous things because of me, and it's almost killed you already."

"Well, Felix and Demetri have crossed a line. They know the punishment, and that's why they're hiding."

"What's going on back there?" Emmett shouted.

I had almost forgotten that we were still in the back of his car.

"Shut up," I snapped, "this doesn't concern you."

"Bitch," he muttered under his breath.

"Edward, just promise me that you'll be safe," Bella begged.

"I always am. Things will get a lot better once I take care of the problem."

"Won't Aro be mad?"

"What's he going to do?"

"He could come and kill you. He might come after you, Edward. I don't want that."

"I promise that everything's going to be alright. Trust me." I kissed her for reassurance. She seemed to melt into me, and my hands had a mind of their own as they started trailing up her legs. Unfortunately, they were covered in pantyhose under her dress, so I couldn't feel her skin.

I needed to take this further, because I wanted to get Bella's mind off of what was about to happen. Truthfully, what I had in mind for Demetri and Felix would certainly start a war. There was a lot of pent up anger between our families, and I was planning on ending that. Bella was right; if Demetri and Felix turned up dead, there would be an all-out battle. I planned on talking with my father soon about all of this. He would do the same thing in my position, and if he denied it, I would call his ass out.

Right now, Bella was thinking about this too much. I had to take her mind off of it.

"Edward, what are you doing?" She asked as our kisses got stronger and my hands went higher up her skirt. Rose and Emmett were arguing in the front. I hoped it stayed that way.

"Just go with it," I said.

It was getting very hot in the back seat of the Hummer, but I didn't care to take off my jacket.

My fingers danced up her thigh, taking their leisurely time as they examined each inch of her leg. She was one second from climbing into my lap, but I held her down.

"If we're going to do this, we need to do it right," she panted.

"You must have forgotten that we're in someone else's car."

"Oh." Her hands went into my hair, bolting my lips to hers.

"Oh?"

"Yeah… oh."

My hands went even higher, tickling her upper thighs. We were in dangerous territory now, but I wasn't going back. I didn't think I could. With one finger, I traced her opening. Even under the two layers of fabric that were created by her panties and stockings, I could tell that she was enjoying my ministrations. Her whole body shuddered with anticipation, and she gripped my hair tighter.

"Edward, you're starting to make me… hot." Bella's breath brushed over my lips. "Very hot."

"That's the plan."

I applied pressure to her clit; she almost yelped, but I bit her lip softly to keep her quiet. She enjoyed that, so I bit down again.

I couldn't proceed fully underneath her dress with both hands and realized that I wasn't going to get anywhere with all her clothes still being on. I don't know how I did it, but I ripped a hole in her stockings, right in between her legs.

"Alice is going to kill you." Bella continued her kisses.

"I'd like to see her try."

My fingers maneuvered their way through the fabric, and I eventually ripped a larger hole, big enough to fit my whole hand into her stockings. I nimbly pushed her panties to the side, and the wetness that was dripping from her pussy was so enticing. I ran my finger up her slit slowly, intentionally. When I made sure it was coated in her juices, I brought it to my mouth and tasted what she had to offer.

Bella watched me with an eager fascination. It was hungry and ravenous.

"Do I taste good?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Delicious." I brought my finger back to slip past her panties and fingered her opening gently.

Bella was unbuttoning my shirt, but only low enough to taste my chest. She placed kisses on my skin as my finger went deeper into her body. She started to move her hips in rhythm with my gentle thrusts, this time, holding my shirt tightly.

I made sure to listen for Emmett and Rose, who were still arguing about God knows what, but as occupied as they were, I wasn't going to stop. I inserted two fingers, stretching Bella to the limit, and her body was shuddering violently.

"Shit, Edward," Bella breathed harshly.

"Just keep quiet. We can't have those two yelling at us," I chuckled. "Are you close?"

She nodded, biting her lip, and I pushed deeper. I ran the pad of my thumb over her nerves and felt her insides quake with pleasure. Her eyes rolled back, and she almost collapsed towards me. I held her up so that we looked somewhat normal. Her cum face was just amazing. I had done that to her.

Bella didn't open her eyes for a full minute, savoring the sensations that were bouncing around in her body.

"Wow," she sighed.

"You're welcome." I kissed the side of her mouth.

"I think we're going to hell."

"I'll save you a seat next to me. I've been on that train since I was a teenager." I fixed her panties and pulled her dress back down.

"What's going on back there?" Rose turned around.

"Nothing." I moved back from Bella with a grin and fixed my jacket over my bulging erection.

The rest of the ride was silent for Bella and me. She was embarrassed—evident by her blush— and I was on a sexual high. Even though I hadn't gotten off like she had, just watching was almost enough.

When our convoy pulled into the massive driveway of my parent's, I could tell that Bella was trying to make herself look as normal as possible, but nothing could wipe the "I just came" face off. I wanted it there.

"Do you need help walking?" I teased and held the door open for her so that she could get out.

"You're trying to embarrass me, aren't you?"

"No, I just find this highly amusing."

"What if Emmett or Rose had turned around?" she whispered.

"Well then, they would have gotten a peek at my wonderful work."

I wrapped an arm around her waist and led her to the door behind everyone else.

As normal Sundays went, my mother immediately got into the kitchen, and Bella was adamant about helping as well. Since I had nothing better to do, I even tried to chop a carrot or something. It didn't go every well; I almost sliced my hand open, so I left that to Bella. Surprisingly, my father let me have a beer. I nursed it slowly because I didn't know when I was going to be able to enjoy this again.

Family started arriving later in the afternoon, and I kept Bella close to me so that I didn't have to really talk to anyone. She kept me occupied by telling stupid jokes that she had heard from Alec. That boy swore he was the next Jerry Seinfeld.

By the time we sat down for dinner, everyone was starving and rowdy, just like an Italian feast should be.

"Here you go," Bella handed me my plate, which was actually filled with small portions of delicious food.

"No cardboard chicken?"

"I thought you might enjoy a break."

"Thank you, Warden."

"Well, the doctor did say you were getting better, so we're on the road to recovery."

"I'm fully recovered," I argued, taking a large bite out of lasagna. "Oh, how I've missed you." I licked my lips.

"You're not fully recovered," Emmett said from across the table. "You're an old man who needs his wheelchair."

"He's not old," Bella snapped. "He's just fragile."

"You're not really helping my case," I said.

"No, he's an old bastard who needs to be stuck to an oxygen tank," Alec joked.

"If I could reach you, I would break your neck," I snarled down the table.

"Bring it, old man. I'm ready." He held up is fork.

"Boys, please. This is a nice dinner and you're ruining it," Esme scolded.

"He started it." Alec shrugged.

"I know he did, sweetheart," she cooed.

That boy was so spoiled; it was sickening. Carlisle and Esme doted on their prodigal son as if he was made of gold. It was laughable to me because that used to_ be_ me. I wasn't jealous because I was more than happy to hand him the torch. That being said, it still wasn't lost on me that I had to take over one day—not Alec. I was in training, and I figured Carlisle would be bringing that up when I got healthier.

My extended family, of course, had something to say about my physical condition. Half of them had already suffered through their heart attacks and bypass surgeries, so they all felt the need to give me advice. This was exactly what I was trying to avoid, because none of them knew what the hell they were talking about. One of my cousins tried to assure me that heart attacks were designed by doctors to get more money and they didn't really exist. I didn't respond to him.

"Would you like some wine?" I asked Bella when one of the bottles was passed around.

"Sure." She drained the water out of her glass and then held it out for me. I gave her a liberal amount, and then filled mine. She brought the glass to her lips, but didn't drink from it.

"Excuse me." Bella put her cup down and got up from the table.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She kept her head down and ran out of the room.

"What's wrong with her?" Emmett asked, his mouth full of pot roast.

I shrugged. "Maybe she's not over her food poisoning."

"I'll go check." Alice bounced away from the table and followed Bella.

They both came back five minutes later. Bella looked slightly pale, but not hurting.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Nothing. I'm still a little sick." She smiled tightly. "I told you I shouldn't have eaten that shrimp in Miami."

"No one else got sick."

"That's because no one has the bad luck I do. It always happens, even with Charlie. We could both eat fish from the same haul, and I'd be throwing up for days."

"You should have told me."

"I'm fine. Just give me a couple more days and it'll all go away."

By the time dessert came, everyone was stuffed, but Esme wouldn't let anyone leave until they ate at least two pieces of her chocolate cake. She gave me a pathetic sliver, but I didn't complain. It was better than nothing.

Everyone was done and had separated to do different things around the house. Since it was nice outside, a lot of people sat on the porch and played in the sun. I wanted to get away from the crowd and speak with my father. We had business to discuss.

I found him in the kitchen, diving into Esme's mouth with his tongue. I stood there for a couple of seconds, thinking that they would have at least heard me, but like the horny teenagers they were trying to be, my parents only got more heated.

I cleared my throat. "Excuse me."

"Oh, Edward." Esme pushed Carlisle off and blushed furiously, fixing her clothes. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It's not like he hasn't seen worse." Carlisle leaned against the counter.

"Stop that. I don't want him to hear how dirty his father is." She slapped his chest. "We're supposed to be mature."

"Right, so you want me to just erase my brain of that scene of seeing you two going at it in the pool when I was fifteen."

Esme blushed again, looking almost as dark as Bella might get. "That was a onetime thing. Your father got me drunk."

Carlisle laughed heartily and just took a large sip of wine, not bothering to deny it.

"You two are so juvenile." Esme stomped out of the kitchen.

"Is there something I can help you with?" my father asked.

"I need to talk to you… privately."

"Alright." He nodded and walked out of the room. I followed, going up the stairs to his office.

He shut the door behind me and went over to his cigar cabinet. He perused his options and picked his favorite Albanian peppermint brand that caused him to smell constantly of spice. It was his scent.

"Would you like one?" Carlisle asked me, beheading the tip of the cigar.

"I don't think so. Bella might kill me."

"True." He lit it. "I like her. She's a ball buster."

"That she is." I sat in the chair on the other side of his desk. "She's worse than Esme."

"I highly doubt that. Your mother can be a very feisty woman if need be." Carlisle sat in his seat. I'm actually glad we're having some alone time because I need to talk to you as well."

"About?"

"About your future." He puffed on his cigar, trying to look intimidating. It wasn't working.

'_About your future'? _

I guess we were going to have that conversation sooner rather than later.

"I know my future. You remind me every day." I rolled my eyes.

"I was just wondering how you're feeling. Are you ready to get back to work?"

"Finally," I sighed, "I'm tired of sitting at home doing behind-the-scenes shit."

"Well, you'll be starting off slow. I don't want to put your health in jeopardy." He eyed me. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, good as new."

"Then I guess you can get back to work."

"Uh, well, before that, I was wondering if I could finish up some things I have on the side."

"Like?"

"Like… dealing with Felix and Demetri."

Carlisle groaned, running his free hand through his hair, "Edward, I don't think…"

"Dad, don't start." I stood up, feeling the need to pace. "I've thought about this and what they're trying to do is unforgivable. They're terrorizing Bella and they crossed the line when they sent that man into her room."

"So what do you plan on doing?" He kept his calm.

"Finding them and holding them accountable for their actions."

"By killing them both?"

"Yes. They know the rules and they broke them."

"I think we need to discuss this with everyone. This doesn't just affect you."

"No, just because Aro was your friend doesn't mean we can give them free passes anymore." I got angry. "You have let them slip by one too many times and someone's going to get hurt."

"I have not…"

"Yes, you have. Do you remember that bomb in Rose's car a couple years ago? You know it was them and don't try to deny it."

"There was no proof. We couldn't just jump the gun in that situation."

"Bullshit. You just wanted to keep your alliances intact. It's too late for that now."

"You know you're going to start a war."

"You would do the same thing."

"I have done the same thing. You forget that everything you're going through, I've done."

"Then why aren't you backing me on this?"

"I'm just making sure that you know what you're getting into." He put out his cigar. "You work on emotions, Edward. You need to use your head."

"What do you think I've been doing these past few weeks? All I do is sit and think about how I can rid Bella of all this shit."

"She will always be a part of this life as long as she's with you and you know that. I warned you about this."

"She doesn't need to be hunted. I won't let her be scared to live her life," I said adamantly.

"Have you told your brothers about your daring plans?"

"No, but they'll be the first ones in line. I just need your approval."

He exhaled through his nose. "Why are you doing this to me, Edward? I'm trying to be nicer to people."

"Fine, start after this."

He looked at me for a second, examining my every breath.

"Are you serious about this?" he asked.

"Just think about if they went after Esme. They'd already be dead. Don't try to tell me otherwise."

Carlisle nodded. There was no way he could argue with me on that. "Just Felix and Demetri. Don't even think about Aro."

"Thank you."

"It's not like either of them have any friends in this world anyway. You might even be able to get some other families involved if you wanted to make a scene."

"No, I have to be the one to handle them." My voice was deadly.

"Just make sure your brothers are in on this. I can't have you dealing with things alone in your condition. Any timeline for these plans of yours?"

"As soon as the fuckers show their faces."

"Do you need my help?"

"No." I shook my head.

"Well, like I said earlier, you're going to start a war over Bella. I hope you're ready for the consequences."

"I'll take them."

As long as she was protected, I would take whatever came my way.

Carlisle stood up and breathed deeply. "You're giving me gray hairs."

I shrugged as a reply.

"Are we done planning your massacre?" he asked me. "Because if so, we have some things to deal with today."

"I'm allowed to join in on the fun?" I said sarcastically.

"I figured you'd want to dip your toes back in the pool." Carlisle went to the bookcase on the far wall and pushed a shelf so that it twisted around. A gun vault, similar to mine at home, was revealed.

"Who are we dealing with today?" I asked and followed him inside. A whole army could be outfitted from the stuff in here. It made my measly collection look pointless. Carlisle's even had a second floor.

"Some of the men from the leg in Las Vegas. I don't like the way things are going on out there and it seems as if I'm losing more money than I'm making. That shouldn't be happening." He tapped his chin. "What to use today."

"Did they cough up the cash?"

"That's not the point, but yes. Although, I'm trying to change things out there. I could create a whole empire that goes bicoastal. That's the plan, at least, in the next couple of years."

"You already have domain over California."

"That's not the whole coast, though. Actually, your little stunt might help me out. With Aro controlling most of Seattle, his whole family will be diminished after his sons are gone. I guess we can both help each other."

"So now you're on board because you get something good out of all this?"

"You're my son; I was always on board." He handed me a couple guns and climbed the stairs for the more powerful artillery.

"You know, you're getting old. How much longer to you expect to keep being in this game?" I asked.

"Your great-grandfather is still working."

"And your father died at thirty-three."

"He was murdered. That's different."

"Still, you can't go on forever."

"Are you ready to take over?" He pulled a massive MI bazooka off of the shelf, walking back down the steps.

"Are you ready to let me lead?"

He laughed. "You have so much to learn first, but you're getting there."

"You're so kind." I rolled my eyes.

"Let's get this done."

We walked back downstairs, grabbing Emmett, Jasper, and Alec on the way. We tried to make it out of the door before Esme caught us, but she was sneaky.

"Hey, hey, hey." She called as we were almost out of the front door. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Ma, we have business to attend to," Emmett said.

"I think not." She took the pistol that I was carrying. "Can't we go one day without doing these horrible things? And on a Sunday, Carlisle? Really?"

"I can't help it. We have jobs to do," he said.

"This is why I don't allow guns in the house. You're always up to something fishy."

"I don't have time to argue about this right now," Carlisle sighed.

"Don't take that tone with me. I work hard to have somewhat of a normal life and you just…"

"Dear, blood waits for no one." My father walked out of the house.

"You can sleep on the couch tonight!" She shoved the gun back in my hand and pushed us out of the door, slamming it behind us.

"That's what she says now, but mark my words, they'll be going at it like jackrabbits before sundown." Alec nodded and followed Carlisle. "She gets hot off of watching him with his gun."

"They are so gross." Emmett shuddered.

We walked out of the gates and across the street to where the forest was enveloped us on all sides. We took the path that led deep into the woods and carried our guns like we were going off to war.

"So, who exactly are we killing today?" Emmett asked and hopped over a fallen log. "Furthermore, why is the old dude with us? Isn't he on restriction?"

"Your brother is here because he wants to get back to work. We're offing some Las Vegas nuts who think they can steal from me."

"Oh, fun. I call the bazooka." Alec raised his hand.

"Bullshit," Jasper pushed him out of the way, "that's for men only."

"I'm a man."

"You're fourteen; you barely have hair on your peaches." Emmett laughed.

"Shut up." Alec tripped over a rock and tried to make it look like nothing happened.

"If we can stop with the funny shit, I need to talk with you guys," I said.

"What is it now?" Jasper asked.

"I wanted to just warn you that I'll be taking care of Felix and Demetri soon."

"Finally," Emmett shouted, "I was going stir crazy. Those fuckers are goners. I'm so pumped. Where are they?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm working on it. I've tracked them to Boston. That's where they were last time I checked, although, that could have changed by now."

"Sweet, let's just take them all out." Jasper shrugged. "They've been after Bella for too long. To be honest, I'm surprised they aren't already dead."

"If I wasn't in fucking remission, they would have been," I growled.

"Bella's like Helen of Troy. We're starting a war over her," Alec commented.

"I guess she is."

We continued our walk behind a whistling Carlisle. Our mood had changed within a second, and we were now discussing football stats for the upcoming season.

"Hey, Edward," Jasper called from behind me. "Remember that time I peed on Bella?"

I didn't even bother letting my blood pressure rise as I snapped my elbow back, knocking him right in the nose. He let out a guttural moan and fell a few steps behind.

"You son of a bitch," he said through his cupped hands. "I'm bleeding and my nose is probably broken."

"Suck it up, fucker. Don't ever talk about that again."

"I wonder if Bella will let me pee on her?" Ememtt thought out loud. He was too quick for me to get, and I wasn't planning on running after him so he got away… for now.

We finally arrived at a cabin about a mile away from the house and Carlisle pulled out a set of keys, unlocking the door. He went inside while we surround the cabin, waiting for him to bring whomever out.

He came back a second later, shoving four guys outside. They were beaten, bruised and almost dead on their feet. One of them fell over, but Carlisle kicked him back up. I guess he had already gotten to them.

"There are about five more back there." Carlisle pointed over his shoulder at the cabin.

"Who are these dudes?" I asked.

"The ones I need to handle personally,"

"We didn't do anything wrong," one of the guys drawled out. "We never stole…"

Carlisle blew a hole through his forehead, not even bothering to let him finish his sentence. The silencer created an almost non-existent sound as the bullet ripped out of the barrel. I stepped back when the man collapsed on the ground and blood started to flow from his head.

Another guy got up and started running away from the group. He made it a couple feet away before I put a bullet through him as well. He ran into a tree and feel to the floor in a crumpled mess.

"I just need to take these men for a chat. You boys have fun." Carlisle herded the remaining men up and pushed them further into the forest.

"I say we just blow them the fuck up," Alec said.

"I like it. Give me the cannon." I held out my hand.

"Why do you get to do it?" Jasper asked.

"Because, I haven't been to work in months, I'm the best shot out of all you bitches, and my girlfriend was the one who got peed on. I think I'm owed something positive."

Jasper grumbled under his breath and went to sit down on a stump behind me. Emmett handed the bazooka over for me and I sighed, feeling the weight in my hand. I'd missed this.

The good thing about bazookas was that they provided a lot of power and boom—for lack of a better word. Good thing we were so far out because there was about to be a lot of noise.

I put my eye up to the scope of the cannon and grinned evilly. "It feels good to be back."

* * *

**HOLY BAZOOKA SHOOTIN' EDWARD BATMAN**

**YOU MIGHT THINK YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT CHAPTERS, BUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA. HAHAHAHA. HOW'S THAT FOR CRYPTIC? YOU MIGHT WANT TO FLOUNCE FROM THE NEXT COUPLE OF CHAPTERS, BUT I BEG YOU TO READ UNTIL THE END. **

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**CURRENTLY, THERE ARE FOUR MORE CHAPTERS LEFT AND TWO EPIS. THAT'S ALL FOR THIS STORY. SEQUEL LATER, BUT AS FOR THIS ONE, JUST FOUR MORE:( i'M SAD TO SEE IT GO, BUT IT'S TIME TO WRAP THINGS UP. **

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**JOHNNYBOY, OUT!**


	42. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

BELLA POV

_"The tree of liberty needs to be watered from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."- Lyn Nofziger _

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

I looked at the calendar on the computer in Edward's office. I counted backwards like I had done six times before in the past minute and a half just to make sure.

I was a month late and by late, I mean… _that _kind of late.

_A month? _

I took a deep breath and wiped the tears off of my face.

I had so many mixed emotions going on in my body that I almost couldn't handle them. I knew something was off in Miami. I knew it. I could sense it. Why wasn't I paying more attention? I hadn't been keeping up with the time. Days had turned into weeks, and weeks had turned into months. Now, here I sat, two months… pregnant? Was that possible? I had always been regular and could count my cycle by a calendar. This wasn't good.

It had only been two weeks since we got back from Miami, but I felt like that had been a lifetime ago. With everything going on including the break in, then Edward's health, and then the vacation… sure I had skipped a couple pills—and completely missed the fact that I hadn't started my cycle—but I didn't realize that I was _this late_. The time had just passed so quickly; with all this shit going on, I wasn't paying attention.

Was I pregnant?

It suddenly made sense. I was tired all the time, and I could barely keep anything down, although, I wanted to eat everything in sight. My muscles were sore and I was having a hard time sleeping. Plus, I was throwing up a lot. I first thought it was food poisoning because those symptoms were the only ones I knew, but that kind of sickness didn't last this long. It was coming together and staring me right in the face.

I was pregnant.

I couldn't even think about telling anyone yet. I had to just make sure for myself. I needed to know undoubtedly. I didn't want to get too far ahead of myself until I took a test. Maybe I was just late for some other reason.

_But what about the other symptoms? _

I shook my head, trying not to think about it and turned off the computer.

Thankfully, Edward wasn't home since he had gone back to work, so I didn't have to come up with a lie as to why I was going out and all that mess.

I stopped dead in my tracks on my way out of the office when I thought about what I was going to say to him. I had to grip the bookcase so that I didn't fall over. I knew what Edward thought of kids. I knew his position on them; he never hid that fact. What was he going to think now?

"Just breathe, Bella," I whispered to calm myself down. "Just make sure first."

I straightened back up and left the room. I quickly went downstairs and put on my coat, grabbing my keys off of the counter. The entire way down to the lobby, I was trying to control my breathing and stop myself from throwing up. I needed to settle my stomach very badly and added a bottle of ginger ale to the mental list of things I was going to pick up at the corner pharmacy. I couldn't believe that I was actually on my way to get my first pregnancy test. It was the ultimate walk of shame.

Shouldn't I tell someone? Did I need to go to the doctor? Did I need to take any medicine? Oh my God, I had no idea what to do. I was an eighteen-year-old, fucking freshman in college with a gang-boss boyfriend who just had a heart attack. What the hell have I gotten myself into? On top of all that, said boyfriend hated children. Edward was going to flip out.

I wiped more tears from my eyes when the doors of the elevator opened, and went outside. I hurriedly walked down the street with my head down, just thinking and trying to still my nerves. The good thing about Chicago was that in a city as big as this, there was always a drug store I could go to and not worry about people knowing me. If I were in Forks, I'm sure the rumor mill would already be spinning.

I found a place and went inside from the lively streets.

I exhaled deeply and picked up a basket. "I guess I better get to work."

The first aisle I stopped off at was the drink section and got two giant two liters of ginger ale, along with a smaller bottle that I could drink now because I needed it. I nearly downed half the bottle before I was off on my search again.

My hand was shaking as I picked up the first boxed pregnancy test. There were a whole lot of words on it, and the pink packaging was a mask, trying to convince me that I wasn't in a bad situation.

"Is this your first time?" someone asked from next to me. She was a woman of maybe forty and had a warming smile on her face.

"Uh, yeah. Is this a good one?" I held up the test in my hand.

"Get one with words. It's easier." She patted my shoulder. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen," I said. Just the sound of it made me feel horrible. "How old are you?" I asked before I could even stop myself.

She giggled, "I'm forty-three, and I never thought I'd be in this aisle again."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ask that."

"It's alright. I know what you meant. I can't imagine what you're feeling right now. I was twenty-five with my first one, and I was terrified."

"I don't know what to do." I felt like breaking down in front of this stranger.

"Does the father know?"

I shook my head. "No."

"It's not as bad as it seems, sweetheart." She patted my shoulder. "Look at me, I'm twice divorced and had a one night stand a couple months ago. Come to find out, I left with more than I bargained for."

"Are you scared?" I asked her.

"Of course I am," she laughed.

"This is just so much for me to deal with." I pulled on my hair. "I have no idea what to do."

"Just breathe. You're not the first one to go through this."

"You're right." I nodded, regaining coherency. "So which one of these should I get?"

"Always try two different brands, just to be on the safe side."

"Okay." I got two and put them in the basket.

"And get some crackers. You might be living off of those for the next week or so."

"Thank you."

"No problem. I have four kids so this is nothing new to me. Are you going to tell the father? Do you know who he is?"

I wanted to snap at her for assuming things, but then I remembered that she had no idea who I was. I should just be happy that she was here to help.

"Once you make sure… of everything, get to a doctor. Is your mother here with you?" the lady asked.

I laughed from my throat and pretended it was a cough. Renee would probably start crying and make it all about her with the "I tried to save you from my mistakes" speech. I'm sure she never thought she would have to use that one with me. She probably wouldn't know what to do, anyway.

The woman left me alone after another minute, and I was standing in the "family planning aisle" by myself, trying to get the strength to move. Every step I took closer to the cash register would be another step towards the possibility that this might all be true. It was basically all a formality at this point. I knew I was pregnant; I just needed proof.

I brought everything I needed, and the whole time I was paying, I felt like I was smuggling drugs or something. I suspected everyone could tell.

I marched out of the store with my bags and as if my eyes were honed on him, I spotted Benny across the street. He was trying to hide behind a hot dog cart, like he was buying one.

_Shit! I had forgotten about him. _

I started my walk back to Edward's house and checked my watch. He wouldn't be home for another couple of hours, so I had time to handle this alone. Along the way, I could feel Benny following me. I turned around and caught him standing in the middle of the sidewalk, awkwardly trying to hide again.

"Oh, um…" He spun around a couple of times, like he was lost.

"Don't try to run because I'm in no mood to chase you." I stood in front of his massive form. "You can't tell Edward."

"Tell him what?" Benny acted stupid.

"Tell him what I bought. I know you saw me in there."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Ms. Swan."

"Please, just don't say anything."

"I won't." He shook his head.

"Do you think he's going to be mad?"

Benny's forehead scrunched up. "I don't think it's my place to say."

"Just… let me tell him."

"Mr. Edward won't like it if you keep this from him for a long time."

"I know," I sighed, "I'm going to tell him."

Benny nodded. "I won't say anything."

I resumed my walk back to Edward's building and felt a little better now that _someone _knew besides me.

I got in the elevator and tapped my shoe on the way up. My heart was beating faster as the floors dinged, and by the time I got to the penthouse, I almost didn't want to get out. I had to push myself to go into the hallway. I put my key in the door and walked in.

Immediately, I could hear Esme's humming from the kitchen, along with the wonderful smells of rich marinara sauce.

"Bella, is that you?" she called and stuck her head into the hallway.

I tried to put the bag behind my back clumsily, but it didn't really work. "Yeah, I was just doing some shopping. I didn't know you were coming today."

"I got bored at home, and I had to bring something into the city for Rosalie, so I thought I'd make dinner for you and Edward. I know how much time you've been spending taking care of him, so I'm giving you the night off."

"Well, thank you, but you didn't have to do that." I shifted my weight on my feet and tried to hide the bag further.

"What did you buy?" She wiped her hands on a dishtowel.

"Just some soda and crackers." I went with a half-lie. "I wasn't feeling too well and that's probably all I could keep down."

Esme skeptically eyed me for a quick second. I almost didn't catch it. "Oh, okay." She smiled. "Are you hungry? I made some pasta Bolognese."

"Uh, sure. I'm just going to put this stuff away upstairs."

"Alright, dear." She went back into the kitchen.

I quickly left the hallway and darted up the stairs. I went into the bathroom and looked around for some place to hide my purchases. I took out the soda and crackers, placing them on the counter.

"I should have thought about this better," I said to myself in the mirror.

Edward knew every inch of this bathroom. If something was misplaced or added, he would scope it out. There was no way that I could hide pregnancy tests in here and get away with it. My only option was to just discard them as soon as possible. I realized that I was leaving Esme alone downstairs, but I couldn't help myself. I had to know now!

I read the directions on the three boxes of pregnancy tests that I had laid out of the counter. It took me a while to understand them enough to actually do what I had to do. I tried the first one and set it on the counter.

I paced for what felt like hours. I didn't even bother setting a timer for the five minutes. It took me ten just to get the courage to look. When I finally was able to check, my suspicions were proven correct.

_Pregnant. _

I took the other two tests and they all say the said the same thing. I sat against the door as I held the three sticks in my hand and quietly cried.

I was too young for this. I didn't know what to do; it was all very overwhelming. For a quick second, certain "options" sprung into my mind, but that only made me sicker.

I sat on the floor for what must have been an hour; I wasn't sure. The more I cried, though, the better I felt. Of course, I was still scared out of my mind, but this wasn't all bad, right? I was… going to have a child. That sounded horribly wrong, but at the same time… right. I was very confused. This wasn't the perfect time to have a baby. Hell, I would have liked to be married and finished with school and with a job and a house. Now what was I supposed to do? Did I have to give all that up? No, I couldn't let this derail me. I was going to finish school and do what I had planned. It might be harder now, but I wasn't going to just throw all of that away.

Edward didn't even like children. How ironic was that? He was going to blow up, but he wouldn't do anything rash. I had to believe that. Would he kick me out? Would he just forget about me? I prayed that he wouldn't—something told me that he wouldn't—but he was going to be mad for sure. I felt bad for thinking those things about Edward, but I had no idea how he was going to react. This could turn out very badly. Charlie was going to kick my ass or disown me—whichever one he could do over the phone best. Renee would probably beg me to come live with her and guilt me into it. That's not what I wanted. What about the Cullens? Esme would be thrilled for sure and Carlisle as well. That brought a smile to my face.

Damn birth control pill. What use was it if the thing never worked?

There were so many questions to sort out that my brain was starting to hurt. I got up off of the floor and washed my face so that I looked somewhat presentable. I grabbed the trash and stuffed it in the bag. I put the sticks in my pocket so that I could throw them down the trash chute without anyone knowing.

I opened the door to the bathroom and saw that Esme was sitting on the bed, reading a magazine.

"Oh, sorry." I skirted out of the room without looking at her. I could hear her feet following me.

"Are you alright, Bella?" she asked me.

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry I was in there so long. I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

"It didn't sound like you were fine. Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I'm just going to throw some trash away." I shut the door and quickly put everything in the chute.

When I went back inside, Esme was serving up a large plate of pasta. "Bella, are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, I just had a really bad day at school." I sat on a barstool. "I got some bad grades back."

"Really?"

_No, my grades were perfect. _

"Yeah." I shrugged, trying to lie, but I wasn't sure it was working. "I have a big test, and I'm stressing over it. Finals are next week."

"I understand." She set the plate in front of me. The smell was tantalizing, and I wanted to dive in headfirst, but I kept my cool. I ate slowly so I didn't attract too much attention.

Esme hopped up on the stool across from me. "Your finals brought you to tears?"

"I'm fine. I just needed a good cry."

"Well, sometimes we all do." She patted my hand.

I tried not to look at her. If I did, she would know for sure. I kept my head down and just continued to eat.

"I actually came by for a reason," Esme said.

"Oh?"

"Yes, Edward's great-grandfather is coming into town for a visit, and I'm having a party for him."

"Edward's great-grandfather as in… the man who started all of this?"

"The one and only; Nicola Rossini. He's flying in from Sicily for a couple of days."

"Isn't he an older guy?"

"The man is over one hundred, but looks seventy and acts fifty. You can't keep him in one place for long." She rolled her eyes. "And on top of that, my mother is going to be here the same time."

"Oh, where is she flying in from?"

"Pasadena. She lives in a compound out there after she married husband number four, and now that he's gone, she spends all her time in California."

"It must be nice to see your mother."

"It will be, but having those two in the same room together is going to be hell."

"Nicola and your mother don't like each other?"

"We all think they're secretly in love, but they argue like kids. It's gotten pretty bad lately. Last family reunion, I had to literally sit on Nicola's lap so that he didn't get up and kill her."

"Isn't he in a wheelchair?" I asked, recalling stories that Edward had told me about his great-grandfather.

"He has been for the past ten years, but he would have walked just to get his hands wrapped around my mother's throat. She antagonizes him so she only has herself to blame."

"Wow, I can't wait to meet them both," I said.

"They'll love you, but anyway, I'm having a party at one of Edward's places across town and I just wanted to formally invite you. You'll be getting an invitation in the mail, though. I hope you can make it, but I understand if you have to study."

"No, no. I'll be there."

"Good, and you don't have to bring anything." She jumped off of the stool. "Don't worry. It's all being catered. Just dress in something nice. I'm so excited now."

"I can't wait." I was actually kind of excited to do anything that didn't have to deal with pregnancy or crying or hormones or… my future.

"I'll see you soon. Alice and I have some planning to do." She grabbed her coat and almost skipped out of the door.

She left just in time because the food I had just eaten, mixed with the present uncertainty of my life, was enough to make me heave into the sink. It wasn't much, but my stomach couldn't take any more. Did I have to go through this for nine months?

I drank a glass of water and leaned against the counter. I forced myself not to cry anymore because that wouldn't help anything. I needed to think about this logically. I guessed I needed to tell Edward at some point and get to a doctor to make sure everything was all right.

However scared I was, I was starting to _want _this. I had something growing inside of me, and it was something that we had created. Edward and I were going to have a baby. There was no getting around that.

Suddenly, images of a wide, green-eyed boy flashed through my head. He was small and had a mop of bronze hair with a gigantic smile. I saw him playing in the beach or swinging high on a swing in a beautiful backyard.

Did I want that?

Of course I did. Maybe in ten years, but now? I was too young. I was too inexperienced, but I had to at least try. As much as I wanted to hate myself for getting pregnant, I couldn't. I knew that I had to protect my child. I couldn't explain it. There was this natural pull that I was beginning to have.

_My baby. _

I was having a baby.

Even though this wasn't the right time, I still couldn't help the small smile that creased my lips at the thought.

"Bella, are you here?" Edward's deep voice made me jump from the counter.

I cleared my throat to make it sound normal. "In the kitchen."

"Hi." He took off his jacket and put it over a chair.

"How was your first day back at work?" I couldn't bring myself to go over to him. I felt like if I was close, he might guess.

"Exhilarating." He grinned. "I finally felt free; like I wasn't locked up."

"You make it sound like I kept you in shackles." I pulled a plate from the cabinet and piled it high with pasta.

"Have I ever said 'thank you'?" I felt strong hands on my hips from behind me and his lips on my neck.

"For?"

"For taking care of me when I needed you. I know I bitched, but you probably kept me alive."

"I need you around," I said. That declaration meant more to me than it did to him right now.

"Well, thank you."

A single red rose crept into my eye line. Even from a couple inches away, the smell was enveloping, and I smiled slightly.

"Is this for me?" I turned around and took the flower from Edward.

"Of course." He smirked and kissed me tenderly, but like all of Edward's kisses, there was a fierceness and possessiveness about it.

"Thank you," I said when he let my lips go. "Does it mean something?" I smelled the petals.

"Yes," he sighed.

"Well…"

"Don't make me say it."

"You're blushing," I laughed.

"You know I love you, but coming from me, it just sounds weird." Edward's green eyes were saying all the things that he couldn't.

"I like hearing it," I goaded him.

"Bella… I love you," he said quickly and quietly, turning his head away from me.

"I didn't hear you." I placed my lips on his neck.

"I love you."

"How much do you love me?"

Edward pulled back from me. "In all seriousness, have I never told you how much you mean to me?"

"I… I don't think so." I was taken aback by the severity of his voice.

"I have never in my life been so protective of something as I am with you. I have no idea how to tell you that because I'm no good with emotional words, but I'm trying. You've changed me… completely. I never thought that I would ever be playing house with a girl that I cared for. I've never been _that _guy."

"That's so sweet." I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

"Why are you crying?" he chuckled and wiped it away.

"Because…." I shrugged.

"Was that a loving enough statement?"

I nodded. "You're very loving when you want to be."

"But only with you." He kissed me softly.

I wanted to tell him so badly. I wanted to shout it from the heavens and now seemed like the perfect time. I just…couldn't.

"You're still crying." Edward pulled back and handed me a napkin from the counter. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine." I cleared my face.

He gave me a disbelieving look, but said nothing.

Edward and I sat down to eat after that. I was still starving, and since I had puked my guts out earlier, I didn't think he needed to know that I had already eaten my weight in pasta. I set the rose next to me on the table and tried to use it for courage. Every time I got the nerve to say something, I couldn't. I would freak out on the inside and all these questions would beat my bravery down. I tried to keep up a normal façade, and I hoped that he didn't see right through me. I needed time to think about this.

Since it was his first day back to work, I made sure to keep Edward talking about that. His health was improving every day, and I could see that. He was taking his medication, exercising every morning, and his portions were within limits. I didn't even have to say anything to him anymore, but I still watched out of the corner of my eye. This baby was going to stress him out so much and even the idea of a child was going to be too much.

"So, I have to go out of town in a couple of days," Edward said and took a bite of garlic bread.

"Really? Where?"

"Boston," he answered.

"Again? Didn't you go out there a couple months ago?"

"Yes, but I have a few things to do."

"You're not going to tell me what, are you?"

"Absolutely not. You don't need to know." He gave me "the eye" that told me not to ask.

"Well, it will have to be after your grandfather gets here because…"

"Wait, what?" he interrupted.

"What?"

"My grandfather?"

"Oh, yeah. Esme didn't tell you?" I asked and he shook his head. "Your great-grandfather is coming."

"No shit." Edward leaned back in his chair. "Really? We usually have to go to him for family reunions and stuff. He hasn't been stateside in… two decades."

"She didn't say why, but she's having a party. Her mother's coming to."

"Oh, great. Those two hate each other."

"So I've heard. Is it really that bad?"

"One time, my grandmother pushed his wheelchair down the stairs."

"You can't be serious."

"Yup, and he just kept on rolling. It's actually really funny because you'd think that two old people like them would just die already, but I think they stay alive just to outlast the other."

"They sound fun," I replied sarcastically.

"You'll love them. I wonder why that old bastard is coming over here. It must be important." Edward thought out loud. "I bet Carlisle's in a hell of a lot of trouble. He wouldn't bother flying here if it wasn't big."

"I can't wait to meet him. He sounds so intimidating."

"He's a big softie with a hard on for anything with breasts. I'll have to watch you," Edward joked. "He can be very persuasive."

"I'll be sure to keep my sexual defenses up."

The rest of the time Edward and I were sitting at the table, I tried not to think about the giant elephant in the room that was about to run me over. I was going to tell him; just not now. I couldn't now. I needed at least a week to even wrap my head around this myself. That was all I needed, one week.

I felt a little better knowing that I had seven days to sort my thoughts out and get a speech prepared. I felt like I needed to present some kind of argument, because I knew Edward was going to have something to say.

After we ate, Edward and I cleaned up the kitchen.

"I think I'm going to go to bed," I said when we were done.

"Are you alright? You've been really sick lately," he replied, concerned.

"I'm fine. I'm just stressing over school." I used the same lie as before.

"Okay," Edward nodded, "go to bed; I'm going to stay up and do some work."

I gave him a sweet, short kiss goodnight, and then went up the stairs to his room.

As I was changing, I glanced down at my stomach. I wasn't showing yet. Should I be? When did that start happening? Was it going to be soon? Could Edward tell? I had no idea, and that only scared me more. Just to be safe, I wore one of his shirts, which was huge on me, but it served the purpose I needed it to. If I could just wear this thing for nine months, things would be so much easier.

I climbed into bed and ran my hand over my stomach. There was a child in there; my child. It was a little boy or girl, who I was going to raise. That made me smile.

I fell asleep easily, because I was so damn tired. Sometime in the early morning, I felt Edward slide into bed with me, and his strong arms wrapped around my body. My first instinct was to jerk away from him, because my wild imagination was telling me he could feel the baby. I settled into him, though, and let the warmth from his chest put me to sleep again.

The next couple of days went by very quickly.

School was ending and tests were being given. I had already taken two of them, so I just had two more to go. My freshman year was wrapping up faster than I could have imagined. Could it be possible that just eight months ago, I came to Chicago with wide-eyed innocence and a certain naïveté about the world? Where was that girl? She had changed so much in such a short period of time. I tried to tell myself that I was still there, just deep down.

I still hadn't told Edward yet. I had four more days as of now, and I needed all that time to think about what the hell I was going to say. Edward was going to literally blow a fuse, and I didn't know how to calm him down. I just needed more time. I don't know why I was so scared, but this was a big change for a man who had a schedule for everything. I threw a massive curve into his straight and narrow path.

Thankfully, I didn't have to think about that tonight. I had something to take my mind off of my pregnancy because tonight was Esme's party. It was just a small thing, but I was kind of excited to meet the man who had basically created this life that Edward lived. I also couldn't wait to meet Esme's mother. Alice had met her when she and Jasper went out to California for Christmas. She only had good things to say.

"What tie should I wear?" Edward asked me from the closet as I was fixing my hair.

"You're asking me for fashion advice?" I laughed. "That's never happened before."

"Well, I'm nervous. I can't really think straight."

"You, Edward Cullen, nervous? I don't believe it."

"You have no idea how human my grandfather makes me feel." Edward was fixing a pale blue tie around his neck in the mirror behind me. "That man is scary as hell when he wants to be."

"He sounds sweet." I went off what Rose had told me.

"Because you have a vagina."

"Score for me."

"He's not mean, he just has a way of cutting off your balls, so to speak. Plus, I don't think he knows Cici is coming."

"Cici?"

"My grandmother; Esme's mother."

"Oh, right."

"This should be an interesting night." Edward sighed, running a comb through his hair. It didn't work in the slightest to tame it, but he tried.

By the time we were ready to leave the house, we were dressed finely. He was in a nice suit and the pale blue tie, while I settled for a simple cream dress and black pumps. I was getting pretty good at walking in these things, actually. I also wore the serpent bracelet that Edward had bought me for Christmas, because I loved it so much and never got a chance to wear it.

The car drove us across town to a nice hotel that Edward actually owned. He never talked about his "real" job, so I didn't even really know what he did. It was obviously apparent that he knew what he was doing though, because the hotel was very impressive and from the looks of it, highly popular. On our way to the elevators, I saw expensive art work and rugs along with chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. It was very nice.

"Why haven't I ever been here before?" I asked him as we rode the elevator up to the penthouse level.

He shrugged. "I don't know. You never asked."

"So when you say you're going to 'work', sometimes you actually have real things to do?"

"Yes, Bella," Edward laughed. "It's not all guns and blood every day."

"Huh, I would have never guessed. You hide your normalcy incredibly well."

"I try." He wrapped an arm around my waist.

When the elevators dinged open, I could hear soft music from down that hall, and it looked like we were going into a museum. There were a lot of people around, all sipping champagne and eating small appetizers. I didn't know a lot of them, but Edward said this was more than just a family gathering. Everyone in Chicago knew Nicola Rossini, so his arrival was a pretty big talking point among the people in these circles.

"Should I be scared?" I asked Edward when he took my coat, handing it to the guy near the door.

"Just don't say anything until he speaks first. I'll introduce you, and then just shake his hand."

We went into the kitchen where Esme was making a platter of vegetables. Edward got me a bottle of water.

"You're making him sound like some monster," I said and took a sip.

"He's like an onion, you have to peel him back layer by layer."

"Not if you use a knife," Esme responded and for added emphasis, slammed a rather large cleaver onto a carrot. The thing split in half without a problem. "What were you two talking about?"

Edward and I backed away from the counter slightly.

"Uh, Mom, you alright?"

"I'm fine. I'm just preparing for impending doom." She smiled. "Your grandfather is already here."

"So I take it we're just waiting for Cici?'

Esme nodded and carried the platter into a packed family room.

"She's kind of scary," I observed.

"She gets it from her mother," Edward sighed. "Are you ready?"

"I guess so." I took another sip of water to settle my stomach, and he took my hand.

The party was in full swing. There were a lot of people here, and they all had some sort of connection to the "underground", as Edward said. He kept a close hold on me since he didn't trust any of them. Everyone seemed really nice to me, but what the hell did I know? Rose and Alice were there, trying to calm Esme down, because she was going crazy for some reason. Alec was eating anything he could get his hands on, and Carlisle was making the rounds with Jasper and Emmett.

Edward took a deep breath and led me outside onto the balcony.

A man was sitting with his back to us in a motorized wheelchair. He was dressed in a slim fitting suit that made Edward's look juvenile in comparison. He had a head full of white hair that was coiffed perfectly, and I could smell his deep cologne from the door. It was spicy and strong but not unpleasant.

"If that's my Edward, he'd better be bringing me a cigar," the man said in a husky voice.

"Not this time, old man. I brought you something better."

"And what would that be?" The man's wheelchair swiveled around to face us. The first thing I noticed was his blue eyes, which were sunken into a wrinkly, yet handsome face. He didn't look old at all.

"I brought a young lady I want you to meet. You have to be nice." Edward nudged me forward. "This is Isabella."

The man looked me up and down. "Well, I heard she was a fox, but this is almost too much for me to handle." He held out his hand for me. "It's very nice to meet you, Isabella."

"You too and please just call me Bella," I said. "I've heard so much about you."

"It's all true," he chuckled. "Sit, sit."

Edward guided me to one of the chairs on the patio. He was saying something under his breath, but I didn't hear it. I could tell that Nicola was a huge flirt. He had that personality about him, and it was working. All I wanted to do was giggle and blush. I didn't understand it.

"Before I get to you, young lady, I need to speak to my grandson," Nicola said to me. "Edward, why don't you call me anymore?" His tone changed. It wasn't stern, but it wasn't sweet like it had been with me.

"A phone goes both ways," Edward replied. "I haven't heard a word from you in six months. I thought you were dead."

"You wish. That way you could get all my money."

"I don't need your money," Edward chortled. "I have more than you, anyway."

"If I didn't have to pee, I would laugh."

The relationship was playing out in front of me. It was a tense, joking sort of thing that you would only understand if you knew Edward. I figured his great-grandfather was the same way.

"Why are you here?" Edward asked.

"I wanted to see my family. I can do as I please." Nicola rolled his eyes.

"Well, you could have warned the western hemisphere that we would be graced with your presence."

"I'm tired of Italy." He pushed his wheelchair over to the side of the balcony and looked at the city. "I've killed everyone there. It's boring."

"You can't move here. We don't want you."

"I wouldn't move here anyway. Your father is the most insufferable human being on the face of this earth," Nicola said seriously with a sly grin. "But I raised the bastard, so I guess I have to take the blame."

"We could never blame you." Esme came out onto the balcony. "Carlisle was just bad to begin with."

"That he was, my dear."

"Is everyone alright?" Esme asked us.

"Actually, I'm glad you're here. Please take your son inside, so I can talk to this lovely lady alone." Nicola pointed at me.

"I don't think so." Edward sat up.

"I'll be fine," I assured him. "Go inside."

"Come on, Edward." Esme pulled him up from his seat. "You can help me."

Now, it was just Nicola and me on the balcony.

"So, Bella, is it?" he asked me.

"Yes, sir."

"Is that Italian?"

"Are you asking if I'm Italian?"

He snickered, "That's what I was getting at, yes."

"I'm part, but not by much," I answered truthfully.

Nicola nodded. "And I take it you know about all of this?"

"Yes, sir."

"How did you find out?"

"Someone told me, and I confronted Edward about it."

"Were you scared?"

"At first. I guess I still am sometimes." I was finding it very easy to talk to him. His eyes weren't hard or abrasive.

"You're very pretty."

"Thank you." I blushed furiously.

"Did Edward tell you to be scared of me?"

"He said I should watch myself around you."

"He's right. I'm a very dangerous man, Bella. I'm a tyrant."

"I don't believe that," I said before I could stop myself.

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't be fooled by my age. I'm the best there is at what I do."

"I don't doubt that."

"Did you know that I built this city?" He rolled around again. "When I came to Chicago, it was nothing more than a pile of horse shit and a couple street signs. It took a lot of work, but I made this town what it was."

I decided not to say anything and just let him talk. It sounded like he was going into speech mode.

"I gave it all to Carlisle and at some point—possibly soon—he's going to give it all to Edward." He turned back to me. "How long have you two been together?"

"Um, around eight months." Had it really been that long?

"And you haven't run yet? I know my Edward can be a handful."

"No, I don't think I've ever really thought about leaving him. I can't." I shrugged.

"You remind me of Esme. No matter how much I begged her to look the other way when it came to Carlisle, she wouldn't. Although, she was born into all of this, so there wasn't really any way to hide secrets from her. I think things are different nowadays. You kids are more daring than we were."

I nodded. "Probably."

"Are you planning on staying with Edward in the future?"

"To be honest, it would be more harm to leave now. I've been with him through shootouts, bloody battles, and a damn heart attack."

Nicola laughed, "I like you. I always said Edward needed a strong one, but I never thought he'd find someone. He's a hard ass. And how old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Well then, I see Edward is robbing the cradle now."

"I've always acted older," I said as a way to make it seem not so bad.

"And your father is a police chief?"

"Yes, sir."

"Your story will almost be as good as Carlisle and Esme's. You don't find it unnerving being with someone like Edward?"

"I know a version of him that other people don't, and I love that guy. What he does professionally won't change that."

"Love?"

I bit my bottom lip, slightly uncomfortable talking about my life with Edward. It felt too personal.

"Well, if you can tame him, by all means take him." Nicola patted my knee.

"Will he ever really be tamed?"

"Absolutely not. Edward is a bull and if you even try to cage him, he'll just get more heated. He has a way with you though. I can tell."

"What do you mean?"

"He's very protective. I saw it even in those five minutes you two were sitting out here."

"But he's always like that."

"No, this was different. It was almost…scary if you can believe it. I've never seen that look in his eyes and there wasn't even a threat around. He must always be in a constant state of stress looking out for you."

"Yeah," I sighed.

"When I was growing up, it was either hunt or be hunted. He seems to take after me in that way. Carlisle is softer but very effective. I don't understand it, but he's done more than I did so I guess it works. He's very optimistic of the world. I'm a cynic."

"Edward's that way."

"Of course he is. I taught him to be that way. I always told him that you can become a cop or a criminal. When you're facing a loaded gun, what's the difference?"

"Those are some pretty strong words."

He shrugged. "I haven't stayed alive this long by just sitting on my ass."

I nodded in understanding.

Nicola opened his mouth to say something, but then tilted his head to the side as if he was listening intently.

"Is something wrong?" I asked quietly.

He hushed me. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

He sat up in his chair and fixed his jacket. "That, my dear, is the sound of the Antichrist. She's finally made her arrival." His motorized wheelchair rolled away from the patio and inside of the penthouse.

I got up and followed him quickly. I went to find Edward who was hugging a very attractive older woman with shocking red hair. She looked exactly like Esme and was just as Alice said—fabulous. Cici was in a floor length fur coat that looked too warm, but I doubt she noticed. Her heels were higher than mine, and her neck was adorned with diamonds.

"Grandma!" Emmett pushed past me, and his big body almost skipped over to her.

"There's my big bear." Cici hugged him tightly. "I've missed you so much. Where's Jasper?"

"Right here, Grandma," he said from behind her. She ran into his arms. "Did you bring me a present?"

Edward came over to me. "That's my grandmother."

"She's the most amazing person I've ever met," Alice said in admiration, coming out of nowhere. "I want to be her when I grow up."

"Should I go say something?"

Before I could even think about moving, Esme brought her over. "And this is Bella." They looked almost identical.

Cici wrapped her arms around me, the heat from her fur coat was stifling. "I can't believe it. My Edward found someone. Come sit down." She pulled me towards a group of couches. "So tell me everything."

"Everything?" I asked, trying to keep up with her energy. She was moving so quickly that it was hard to understand her. Thankfully, Edward sat next to me.

"I want to know everything. How you met, where you met; all about you. You're so pretty. Is this your natural hair color?" She ran her fingers through my hair. "I've thought about dying mine."

"Mother, you're too old to dye your hair now." Esme sat on the arm of the sofa. "It's already that unnatural, horrid red."

"It's there to hide her horns." Nicola rolled into our group. "Hello, Cici."

"You're still alive?" She rolled her eyes, pulling off her coat. "I could have sworn I killed you years ago."

"I'm sticking around just to torture you."

"Of course." She tipped her glass, which was filled to the brim with a Bloody Mary. She drank the whole thing in a couple seconds and chewed on the piece of celery.

"Still drinking I see." He tightly smiled.

"It's the only way to get through these amazing family get-togethers." She waved a waiter over. "Honey, I need a martini and don't waste any space with those olives."

"Yes, ma'am." He nodded, scurrying off.

Before anything even got started, a lady came up to our group. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice your coat. Is it real fur?" She asked Cici.

"It sure is," she replied.

"You should be ashamed," the lady scolded. "Do you know how many animals had to die for that ugly thing? I'm a part of an animal rights group and Esme actually donates a lot of money to our cause. I just don't understand how you can be so cruel."

"Yeah, well stretch pants don't ever make anyone look good, but I'm too much of a lady to say anything, fat ass," Cici replied, eyeing the woman's pants.

The lady turned her nose up and stomped away.

"Mother," Esme whispered harshly and followed her.

"Oh, and that blouse hurts like a hangover." She shouted, "Some people, I swear…"

"She can get you with a comeback for anything." Edward whispered to me, "Watch, Rose is going to try next."

"Wow, Cici," Rose turned her face up, "All that booze seeping out of your enlarged pours in making me a little tipsy."

"Oh, sweetheart, they aren't enlarged; they're just in shock over that hair color." Cici patted her knee affectionately.

"She's the best," Edward chuckled.

"You're so uncouth." Nicola shook his head.

"Why are you still talking to me?"

"Because if I don't hear your voice, I don't if know you're alive. You have so much Botox pumped through that face of yours, you look like a leather sofa."

"Honey, I'm fabulous. I'm an incredible dresser, I've got buckets of money, I'm a hoot and a half, and I got a killer rack. Say what you want, but we all know you want to pound me." She superiorly sipped her martini that seemed to come ridiculously fast from the waiter who just appeared.

I sat there with everyone else, and it seemed as if this was going to turn into a shouting match. Both Cici and Nicola were glaring at each other with evil eyes. The fire between them was white hot.

The family gathered and talked for about an hour, with me somehow—more than I would have liked—being the central topic. I guess I was the shiny new toy. Cici kept the drinks coming, but was never drunk. It was amazing how much could ingest. Cici and Nicola were hilarious. They would jab each other with such low blows that I sometimes wondered why we all weren't in therapy. He would comment on her drinking, and she would always bring up his age. Then, he would say something about how she was a gold-digger and she would, in turn, call him a manwhore. It was great fun.

Carlisle and Esme just watched them like they were children. Edward found it all very funny, and everyone else was just along for the ride.

"…And then I told him that I wouldn't go to Europe with him, even if he did marry me." Cici completed her rather stirring story about how she almost bagged husband number five.

"You're so adventurous," Rose said.

"I try. I refuse to live my life in a shoe box."

"Right, because that massive estate you stole out in California is too small for your giant head." Nicola took a sip of his brandy.

"Don't you have an underage waitress to seduce?" Cici shot back.

"They come to me. I don't seduce anymore. I don't have the strength."

"As much as I would love to sit here and watch another battle, you two are exhausting me." Carlisle stood up, taking Esme with him. They started making rounds again.

Emmett and Rose left a little while after that, followed by Jasper and Alice. Nicola wouldn't let Alec go, because they were having male bonding time. I guess he had a new grandson to get to know. I saw them walking—well, Alec was, anyway—around talking. Edward wouldn't leave me, because he said he didn't want me alone in the war zone.

"So, what about you?" Cici asked me. "I hear you're still in school." She lightly drank her vodka cranberry.

"Yes, at Northwestern."

"I used to teach there, myself, when I used to live out here."

"Don't let her fool you, Bella." Nicola rolled by in his wheelchair. "She used to suck the Dean's dick. That doesn't count."

"Go jump off the roof," she shouted as he scooted away, and then smiled tenderly at me. "What are you studying?"

"I'm not really sure yet. Right now, I'm just taking a bunch of classes to see what I'm interested in."

"That's good. I like her, Edward."

"I like her too," he replied.

"When are you two getting married?"

"Never," he said before I could even understand her question. "You know I don't believe in marriage."

"Well, I know, but I always thought that if you found…"

"No, marriage is always a failure. Statistically, it never works."

"That's not true, sweetheart."

"So says the woman who's been married four times, going on five."

"What about your parents? They've been through everything and haven't wavered in years."

"They're anomalies. It never works," he said finally.

_Well, this was fucking news to me. _

I wasn't even thinking about that right now, but maybe I needed to since I was having Edward's baby. But lo and behold, it didn't even matter because he didn't want to get married… ever. I didn't want to pressure him into anything, but it would have been nice if I had an option. It was obvious that he wasn't going to falter on his views.

"Don't listen to her, Edward. You do what you want." Nicola trolled by again. "The harpy has no idea what she's talking about."

"If you roll over here one more time, I'm going to push you over the balcony," Cici snapped. "Go die already."

"You're a skanky whore."

"I'm tired of smacking you so just bang your face against my palm."

Just to annoy her, Nicola got extremely close and stared at her. "I can do as I please."

"Okay, sweetheart, rule number one. Unless you're served in a frosted glass, never come within four feet of my lips." She put her finger on his forehead and pushed him backwards.

"I will kill you, woman." He angrily scooted off with Alec chasing after him.

"Your grandparents are a mess," I whispered to Edward.

"You have no idea."

* * *

**HOLY PREGNANT BELLA BATMAN**

**THERES SO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THIS CHAPTER, SO MUCH I WANT TO SAY, BUT I WON'T. I'M KEEPING IT ALL INSIDE. YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE WHERE I GO WITH THIS. LIKE I SAID PREVIOUSLY, MANY OF YOU WILL WANT TO FLOUNCE ESPECIALLY NEXT CHAPTER, BUT IM HOPPING YOU STICK WITH IT. THE ENDING IS THE BEST PART! IF YOU'VE READ CAREFULLY AND PAID ATTENTION, IT SHOULDNT BE THAT HARD TO KIND OF TRACK WHERE THIS STORY IS HEADED. REMEMBER THOUGH. THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL SO I HAVE TO SAVE THE JUICY BITS FOR LATER. I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING MORE. **

**HOW ABOUT CICI AND NICOLA, HUH? THOSE TWO LOVE BIRDS. LOL  
**

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR THE BETAING AND ALL YOU GUYS FOR THE REVIEWS. I GOT THE MOST EVER FOR LAST CHAPTER AND THEY'RE STILL COMING IN. **

**IN OTHER NEWS: **

*************************************************************NEW STORY ALERT*******************************************************************  
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**THAT'S RIGHT, MY NEW STORY IS UP AND READY FOR YOU TO READ. IT'S CALLED "THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE BLACKBIRD RORSCHACH". THE EDWARD IN IT IS VERY DIFFERENT AND I DONT THINK IVE EVER READ A STORY WITH THE MATERIAL I'M DOING SO THAT SHOULD BE FUN. GO CHECK IT OUT AND REVIEW BEFORE I POST CHAPTER 2 ON THURSDAY. PLEASE AND THANK YOU. **

**THATS ALL FOR NOW. COME BACK ON FRIDAY FOR MORE! 3 MORE CHAPTERS LEFT!  
**


	43. Chapter 42

The Races

EDWARD POV

_"Man is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of atrocities, War. He is the only one that gathers his brethren about him and goes forth in cold blood and calm pulse to exterminate his kind."-Mark Twain_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

I sat across from Bella at the breakfast table, watching her practically chew her bottom lip off.

I was presently droning through the first family breakfast together in what must have been years. I couldn't remember the last time I had my mother's French toast, but the arrival of my grandparents had brought us together. Of course, it was like a war zone around here lately with Cici and Nicola trying to outdo each other at every turn, but at least no one had died yet.

Currently, I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on with Bella. She looked like she was always thinking. I knew something was wrong, but I hadn't had the chance to ask her in private yet. She said she was worried about finals, so I took that as her explanation as to why she looked so out of it.

I wished I could read Bella's mind, because I'm sure there was a lot going on in there. What wasn't she telling me? I wasn't stupid, and I knew she was covering something up. I didn't want to push; I figured she needed to think out whatever was going on. It would be better if she came to me, but if she was in danger, I wouldn't stand for not knowing. I would give it another day or so before I demanded an explanation.

"Hey, boy. Are you listening to me?" Nicola slapped the back of my head.

"Yeah, what do you want?" I was brought back to the bickering around the table.

Before he could speak, Cici stepped in from down the table. "Don't hit my grandson, you bastard. Apologize."

"I don't apologize, and I can do what I want. He's my grandson too."

"You need to be rotting in a jail somewhere."

"I hate you."

"Aright, alright. Just take a breath." I diffused the situation. Everyone was in their own conversations, leaving me to deal with the two old geezers.

"Go drink yourself to death," Nicola snapped.

"Honey, I would suck the alcohol out of a deodorant stick to get away from you." Cici turned away from us and went back to talking to Alice.

"Why are you always creating trouble?" I asked my grandfather.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He sipped his coffee.

"Just have sex with her and save us all the dramatics."

He raised an eyebrow as if he was contemplating the idea, but didn't say anything.

"What were you talking about before?" I asked, trying to get back on topic.

"Oh, I was saying that I'm taking everyone to the races this afternoon."

"Really, the horse races? We haven't done that in a long time."

"I miss it. The only thing we have to bet on in Sicily is which prostitute will die from some venereal disease first."

"You make it sound like you're living in old world Italy. You know that's not how it is."

"What do you know? The last time you were there, I could walk." He hit his now defunct legs. "I hate this chair. It makes me limited to the fucking downstairs."

"I was there last year, or does your memory not go back that far? And you don't need to go anywhere but the bathroom and in front of the TV."

"Shut the fuck up," he chuckled, finishing off his coffee. "Anyway, before I leave in a couple of days, I wanted to take us out."

"I have to leave in a few hours." I checked my watch.

"You still going after Aro's boys?"

"Yeah, I tracked them to secluded compound in Maine. We're going to go pick them up tonight. I just got word that they moved from Boston yesterday. They're on the run."

"Maine, eh? You young kids these days have it so easy. Back when I was your age, I had to actually do some muscle work to kill people."

"Let's not go down this road again. I don't have time to relive the glory days with you."

"I'm just telling you how it was."

"This is why no one likes you. You can't ever just be happy for someone else."

"Damned straight. I'm a wanted man in fifteen countries, including this one, and my enemies far outweigh my friends. I'm just waiting for someone to put a bullet through me."

"We all can't wait for that," Cici said and tipped her martini glass in his direction.

"I cannot stand you," he replied pointedly, "Go choke on another dick and die."

"Go change your colostomy bag, you old fart."

They continued to argue, and I slipped out of my seat, going around the table to sit in the one next to Bella, which was occupied by Alec. I pushed him out, and he grumbled as he moved to another chair.

"What are they talking about?" I asked Bella.

"They're trying to figure out if Alec is gay or not." She shrugged.

"I'm not gay," he argued.

"Here's a test." Emmett thought. "Okay, there's a penis and a vagina in a house. And it's on fire. Which one do you save?"

"I hate all of you." He ate some bacon from his plate. "I spent the whole vacation with Jane and you're asking if I'm gay?"

Jasper and Emmett were having too much fun with their teasing. I was more concerned with Bella.

"What's going on?" I asked her.

"Nothing," She smiled. It wasn't a real one. "I'm just sad to see you leave tonight."

"I'll be back tomorrow."

"I know." She took my hand under the table. "I'll still miss you, though."

"Are you okay? You've been quiet these past couple of days."

"I'm trying to keep my mind on tests." She was lying; I could tell.

"Well, today you're taking a break. We're going to the races."

"The races?"

"Horse racing, outside of the city. Nicola's going to take us."

"Shouldn't he be staying inside? Aren't the police after him?"

"They've been after him since the seventies. One day out in the open won't get them any closer to their goal."

"You boys are so daring."

"We try. Are you up for going out? Are you still sick?"

"I'm fine. Stop worrying about me."

"Alright."

"When are you leaving?" she asked and took a small bite of toast.

"Tonight."

"And where are you going again?"

"You don't need to know all that. Just know that I'll be back tomorrow morning, and I'm going to handle everything. You don't need to worry."

Bella nodded. "Just be safe. I don't even want you to tell me what you're going to be up to."

"I wasn't planning on it."

We finished breakfast, and then Nicola made the announcement that we would all be going out for the day. There was a roar of protests from around the table. Cici wanted to stay in and drink, Emmett and Jasper wanted to play an Xbox game, and Esme was in the mood to cook some more.

Nicola then went on his rampant about the "death of family values". I just sat back and stayed out of it all. I didn't care one bit, because I was leaving on a private plane to Maine at seven tonight. Alec, Emmett, and Jasper were supposed to come with me, but it they weren't ready then I could certainly handle this alone. But before all of that, I had to have family time.

Carlisle was becoming more and more worried about having his grandfather out in public. First of all, Nicola was a dangerous man—worse than any of us—and a simple thing could set him off. Of course, he knew how to disguise the monster inside, but it was still there. Secondly, my great-grandfather, like he said, was wanted in a slew of countries. The Feds here had been on his tail since he left decades ago, and the only reason he was allowed to travel was because of his "decoys". They were men whom he hired that looked exactly like him. They were actors, but had been playing their roles for years. According to anyone watching, Nicola Rossini was sitting on his porch in Sicily eating chicken rotini, not in Chicago with his family.

When all was said and done, the plans were set to drive out for the first race of the spring season. It was unreasonably warm and a good day for horse betting. Dressing nicely was a requirement, and I was trying to put a smile on my face for Nicola. I would rather just sit and watch TV until I had to leave, but he wouldn't hear of it.

I opened the door of my BMW for Bella, and she slid in. Alec got in the back. I went to the other side and got situated, loving the way the leather seats adjusted to my body after all this time away. I drove for the first time solo yesterday and was almost giddy with needed pleasure.

"I don't know how I survived without driving." I sped out of the driveway, following Carlisle.

"Who exactly gave you your driver's license?" Bella held on for dear life.

"I paid the guy off who was administering it. He didn't know what he was doing anyway."

"And who taught you how to drive?" Alec slid across the backseat when I made a particularly sharp turn.

"Jasper."

"That's the problem, I see." Bella tightened her seatbelt.

"He learned from Emmett."

"So, where exactly does the trail lead?" Alec asked. "I'm going to need to learn soon and I want to survive."

"I'll teach you." A grin crept on my face at just the thought of it. I was going to make him shit his pants when the time came.

Bella tried to convince me the whole time to slow down as we made the one hour drive further outside of the city, but I was just getting my racing legs back. Emmett and I ended up trying to outdo the other, but of course I beat him easily in my superior German automobile.

"You cheated." Emmett stomped over to me when I screeched to a halt in the packed parking lot.

"Prove it." I went over to get the door for Bella. "You can't expect a big ass Hummer to beat a compact."

"I could if the driver wasn't a sneaky cheater," he pouted. "Just wait until I get my Ferrari."

"Whatever you say,"

"Will you fuckers stop arguing? We're in public." Nicola rolled away from our group.

"Can someone watch him?" Esme stumbled to catch up. "That man is going to roll over a cliff."

"Let him." Cici smiled.

The race track was buzzing with anticipation and enthusiasm. Ladies wore big hats, and men were trying to one-up each other in their finest suits. This was just a big party for them. The races were as much for entertainment as they were for business deals. I knew Carlisle would put his best foot forward today. Nicola worked his magic and got us a private, covered room overlooking the track, which was already filling up with patrons. The room fit all of us easily, and lunch was about to be served.

"Okay, so everyone's going to be drunk," I told Bella and took her coat. "Don't talk to anyone."

"But they all look so nice." Bella waved at the guy who was seated below us.

He nastily winked. I flicked him off.

"I told you." I pulled her away from the room so that we could go place our bets.

"Isn't this illegal?"

"Nope. For once, we're doing something by the book."

"How do I win?" She asked when we were at the counter, trying to push our way up to the front of the line. The whole draw about this particular race track was that it tried to replicate the older days. Tellers, instead of the automated machines, took all the bets, and the horses were only the finest breeds.

"You've never bet on anything before?"

She shook her head. "Not even in poker. Charlie and I just played with M&Ms."

"How cute," I replied sarcastically. "Alright, so you're betting against the other fans, and you set the odds. You are not betting against the track. If you try to do that, you'll lose every time."

"I forget you own a casino. What else?"

"You have to learn the track." I grabbed a paper off of the table in front of us. "Learn which horses are bet to win."

"I don't know any of these horses." Bella looked them over.

"Thankfully, your man always keeps an eye out."

"Of course you do. Which ones are the best?"

"Blood Brother and Waverunner are doing well."

"Waverunner? Who would name their horse that?"

"When you get a horse, you can name it whatever you want."

"Well then, let's pick those."

We went up to the teller who was waiting patiently for our bets. "Hello, sir. What can I do ya for today?"

"What's your wager maximum?" I asked, pulling out my wallet.

"Twenty thousand dollars, sir."

"I'll put ten on Waverunner and ten on Blood Brother." I handed him my credit card.

"Edward, you can't spend that much money," Bella whispered. "That's insane."

"That's betting. If we win, we take in double that."

"How would you like to bet them, sir?" the teller asked.

"Uh, basic bet on Blood Brother and place on Waverunner."

"What does all that mean?"

"A basic bet is when you gamble on one horse; if it wins, then you win. Place is if it comes in first or second."

"You're a very confident player. What if we lose?"

"You can't be a pussy gambler, Bella. That's how you fail." I took our tickets from the teller and made the walk back down the hall.

We met Alec on the way, and he asked me if I could help him place his bets. I took Bella back to the room, and then dealt with him, explaining exactly what I had a couple minutes earlier. He ended up being the rebel and placing his money—correction, my money—on the weaklings of the pack. He figured he would take a chance. He was going to lose badly, but I was over trying to convince him otherwise.

When we went to the room, everyone was eating lunch and talking. Cici and Nicola were arguing; all was as it should be. One person who wasn't where I left her was Bella. She was on the balcony overlooking the track with a douchey-looking guy with blonde hair. She looked extremely uncomfortable, and that might be because the dick's hand was on her lower back.

"Who the hell is that?" I asked Emmett.

"Oh, one of Dad's friends came by. That's his son. We went to school with him… I forget his name."

"And you couldn't watch her? You're useless." I made my way outside and didn't even bother with formalities. I took the guy's hand off of Bella and twisted it until I heard a crack.

"What the hell?" the guy grumbled. "Get the fuck off of me." He pushed my shoulder.

I could tell that I was back to my old self when I broke some dude's hand from just touching Bella. He should have known better, and my philosophy nowadays was to just kill and take the consequences later. If that came with problems, then I would deal with them. Maybe this guy didn't know, but he would never forget that Bella was untouchable for him.

"Don't put your grubby hands on her." I pulled Bella behind me. "Go back to wherever you came from."

"I've never liked you, Edward."

"I have no idea who you are so get the fuck out of my face before I put a bullet through your skull."

"What's going on out here?" The engine from Nicola's wheelchair made a soft hum as he came out onto the balcony.

"I was just talking to her. You didn't have to break my hand."

"You were touching her. That's a big difference," I growled. "Learn your place."

"He was touching her? Absolutely not." Nicola rammed his wheelchair into the guy's shin. "It's time for you to leave. Go on." He kept backing up and moving forward.

"Stop it, old man. I'm going, I'm going." The guy clutched his hand and his now bruised shin as he hobbled out of the room.

"Stupid kids." Nicola rolled his way back to the family. "That's the Italian way, son," he shouted back to me.

"Are you alright?" I asked Bella.

"I'm fine. I tried to tell him to leave before you got here."

"I can't leave you for five minutes."

"Well, some of us don't have guns or motorized wheelchairs to defeat the creeps."

I took Bella inside so that we could eat lunch before the races started, and then everyone went down to the floor. We could see better from there. Of course, Carlisle put money on all the horses and was planning on pulling in a big haul.

When the first gun sounded and the horses took off, you could almost feel the ground vibrating under their thunderous hooves. We were so close that the dirt from the track was flying up in our faces; it was rather exhilarating.

After the race, Bella and I won on both accounts, since Blood Brother came in first and Waverunner came in second.

"I told you I knew what I was doing," I said to Bella.

"That was exciting. Let's do it again. I want to pick the horse this time." She pulled me back up the stairs towards the bet tellers.

We placed bets on the next set of horses, and I let Bella choose. I kept my mouth shut, even though it was killing me to see her putting money down on the wrong ones, but I didn't say a word. Alec came up to join us and this time, listened to me after his horrible past track record.

When the second races finished, I had still made money off of Alec's haul. Bella, actually, didn't do so badly since her horses came in third and fourth. Nicola was the big winner of the day, even though he didn't legally bet on anything. He had found some rich lawyer, and they did a little under-the-table dealing, gambling on the horses away from the practicalities of the law. I think he made something like four million dollars in an hour.

"Do they do these every weekend?" Bella asked as we walked away from the tracks and towards the cars, our pockets filled with money vouchers. When you were dealing with cash like this in such large sums, it was mailed, so it would be at least a couple days before I saw my earnings.

"Almost, although, that was a small one."

"A small one? They get bigger?"

"Maybe I'll take you to Saratoga soon."

"I want to just beat Alice's horses. She got me every time."

"I think you've caught the gambling bug. I'll have to watch that." I opened the door for her.

I drove her to my parent's house and after a short goodbye kiss, was off again towards the airport with Alec, Jasper, and Emmett following me. Bella was strangely agitated with me when I told her that I had to leave so quickly. She wanted to talk, as she put it, and I promised we would get the chance when I got returned. I planned on being back tomorrow, just like I said, so I didn't even bother packing anything. I had a gun, and that was it.

The plane was ready to go when we pulled up, and the whole time I was itching to get myself knee deep in some Volturi blood. I hoped Aro had said goodbye, because both of his sons would be dead within the next twenty-four hours—hopefully, tonight.

"So, how are we going to do this? We bringing them back here or just ending them there?" Emmett asked from next to me on the plane as it took off.

"Why move bodies when you can just finish everything in one place?" I shrugged. "It's easier that way. They won't see us coming, so it won't even be a problem."

"Do you think the four of us can do it alone?" Alec asked.

"Just make sure you're shootin' straight, little kid." Jasper ruffled his hair.

"Where are they, anyway?" He asked.

I pulled out the piece of paper that was in my suit jacket pocket. "A small town right on the border… Saint Francis. Supposedly, they're staying in the house that belonged to Athenadora's parents."

I unfolded the large maps that I had brought with me.

"And he has floor plans? Genius." Emmett clapped his hands together. "Where do you get this stuff from?"

"I have my ways," I replied cryptically.

We got to work and planned the four-man storm of a mansion that was probably crawling with security. Aro had probably beefed the place up, because he knew what was coming. He had approved something that was illegal in my eyes, and I had even told him so. If I wasn't derailed by that damn heart attack, I would have already killed his sons. Alas, I was human and had to rest, but there was no holding back now.

By the time the plane landed in some small ass airport in rural Maine, attack strategies were made, and we all knew how this was going to go. The Cullens were very technical when it came to warfare, and we rarely lost. This was going to be tough, but needed to be done.

"Do we have uniforms?" Alec asked when I handed him a bag from the overhead compartment.

"That's all you need," I answered. "Black jeans, black coat, black shoes, gloves and silencers. We can take them all out if we stay in the shadows."

"We haven't gone covert in years," Jasper replied happily. "This is sweet."

We changed and looked like a bunch of fucking renegade G.I. Joes, but it would work for now. A car was waiting on the tarmac, and it was freezing cold. This stupid state must have forgotten that it was April, because there was a thin layer of white snow on the ground and flurries were getting stuck in my hair.

Emmett took the driver's seat of the black Mercedes that was parked, and we piled in after him.

The sleepy town of Saint Francis was made up of three stoplights and a general store. That was seriously all there was. Surprisingly, the suburbs of the town were filled with large, New England mansions and stone castles. It was a nice looking place to grow up and raise a family, if you were into that type of shit.

"Take this next right," I instructed Emmett.

"When should I kill the engine?" he asked me.

"Keep going until the next street."

Emmett went at a slow speed of twenty as he surveyed the landscape. It was eerily quiet and any movement was suspect for evil. There were mountains on our right, and the Canadian border on our left. We were smack dab in the middle of fucking no-man's-land.

"Cut it," I commanded and the car suddenly went silent. We were parked in a small thicket of trees near the house, and I could already see the security lights that were flooding the dark sky.

"How the hell do people sleep with those things on?" Jasper snapped the magazine of his gun in place.

"There's no one for about a mile in each direction," I said.

"Good, then they won't hear the screams." Emmett cracked his massive sausage fingers.

"Can we not get sloppy? Let's just get in, and take it from there." I laid out the plan.

"I take it you want the two fuckers for yourself?"

"I want Demetri; whoever gets to Felix first can have him."

"And anyone else in the house?"

"We leave no survivors. You know the rules."

"We're so going to hell." Alec got out of the car and shut the door quietly.

We kept our guns low to our sides as we crept through the forest towards the house. Our feet crunched in the snow softly, breaking up the complete silence around us. Emmett kept using stupid hand signals, but no one knew what the hell he was trying to say.

"What is wrong with you?" Jasper whispered. "Are you having a seizure?"

"I'm doing the thing they do on TV."

"That only works if everyone knows what you're saying, jackass."

"Will you two shut up," I snapped.

Our first causality of the night was a large guard, who was patrolling. Alec took him out with a very well placed bullet to the back of the skull, and I caught him before he fell, guiding his body softly to the ground. I threw his large gun over my shoulder, and we kept it moving. The next guy down was a similar security guard that Emmett struck out easily, taking his gun as well.

By the time we reached the front gates of the mansion, we had killed ten guards and amassed a large collection of firearms. This was all done silently and without a single hitch. There was a booth right at the gates, and I busted the door down on a very unsuspecting lookout.

"Open the gates and cut the lights," I pointed my Eagle at his head.

"Who are you?"

"Just open the gates and cut the lights," I repeated.

He fumbled on a switchboard and the large floodlights above shut down. The bulky metal gates started to creak open. I shot the guy before they were done moving, and he slumped in the chair, his blood splattering over the walls.

From there, it was basically a straight walk up the long driveway—under the cover of blackness—to the door.

"Now what?" Alec asked, "Do we just bust in?"

"I don't know." I looked around, examining the surroundings.

Emmett took the lead, putting three holes through the lock, and the wood splintered around the door handle. The silencer on his gun made the shots hushed. He tried to open it, but nothing happened.

"Did you really think that would work?" I spat. "We're wasting time."

"We have to go around back." Jasper started making his way to the side of the house.

The security was tight, and we eventually had to push Alec up the wall of the house. He reached the second floor before he got in. It was really funny to watch him shimmy up the drainpipe, but he was the smallest out of all of us, so he was the only option. He busted out a window, and I was actually surprised that an alarm didn't go off or something. Either Aro was getting careless, or he was setting a trap. I kept my eyes open after that.

It took Alec a couple minutes for him to let us in through the door, but we finally made it.

"No one leaves this house alive besides us," I said lowly in our huddle. We broke and took separate paths through the house.

I climbed the stairs, not caring about anyone else besides my target, and made it to the second floor. The place was huge, and there were so many rooms that I didn't know the best way to logistically check them all. I settled for listening at each door for movement.

I was at the last door on the second floor when I heard the rustling of sheets and a murmur from the other side. Whoever was over there was going to die, regardless of their identity. I banged through and a girl squealed, pulling a sheet over her chest. Another girl was lying naked at the foot of the bed. Felix popped up, surprised and caught off guard.

I fired precisely at one of the girls, my bullets tearing the pillow to shreds. When she fell off of the bed, I went onto the other girl, putting two bullets right in between her terrified eyes.

Felix was reaching for the gun on the nightstand but was too slow. I decided to get theatrical and switched to a semi-automatic, spraying a round of bullets in a lateral motion. There was a lot of flashing from the firing, but barely any noise from the silencer that was muffling the gun.

I saw Felix's body flail around on the bed as he became Swiss cheese, and his blood stained the pristine sheets red. When I was satisfied, I stopped my firing. There were goose feathers flying everywhere, and the smell of fresh death was overpowering. The girls were respectfully dead, only having a couple of holes in them, but Felix was demolished; torn to pieces.

I tried to stop the grin that sneaked onto my lips, but I couldn't. I left the room, shutting the door behind me and continued on my trek through the house.

I went upstairs to the next floor where I found Emmett strangling the hell out of a guard, who was almost his size. He easily outdid him, though, and dropped the lifeless body to the floor.

"This is a lot of work. I hope you're pleased," Emmett groaned.

"Felix is finished."

"Shit. I wanted that bastard."

"I was the first one to find him." I shrugged.

"And you get Demetri? It's like Christmas for you."

"Yeah, well next time Rosalie has a family of gang members after her, you can take the reigns."

"Dickwads, Demetri is waiting." Jasper flew past us into a room down the hall. Emmett and I followed behind him.

Demetri had his hands in the air, still in bed and Alec had a gun pointed at the fucker's chest. Alec had a broken nose that was bleeding, but Demetri looked like a piece of raw meat. His face was torn up.

"Where's my brother?" he asked with a rough voice.

"Your brother is dead." I flipped on the lights of the room. Furniture was overturned and mirrors were smashed like a real rumble had just gone down.

"You're lying."

"I don't know how long you expected to hide out here, but was it all worth it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You terrorized her." I crossed the room and knocked him in the face with the butt of my gun. There was a loud crack, and he doubled over in pain. "You put her through hell, all for your sick game." I picked his head up so he could see how angry I was.

"Your _Bella _was an easy target, and we still didn't get what we needed out of her. Do you really think you can protect her from everyone? I might not be the only one who-"

He didn't have time to say anything else, because I put the barrel of my gun under his chin and blew his fucking head off.

I had to wipe his blood off of my face. My breathing was harsh, and I really wanted to make Demetri suffer, but even his voice was enough to make me cringe. I couldn't stand him being alive any longer.

"Everyone down in about an hour." Emmett checked his watch. "That must be some kind of fucking record."

I was still angry for some reason and didn't speak to any of them as I stomped out of the room. Now that the house was empty, we basically walked out of the front door and didn't bother looking over our shoulders.

Emmett, Jasper, and Alec were talking, reliving our impressive massacre, while I calmed down. I wanted to call Bella and tell her it was safe now. She didn't have to worry anymore. While we walked back to the car, I checked my phone and noticed that I already had several messages from her.

I put the phone to my ear and checked the first one.

"_Uh, Edward, this is Bella. Well, you probably already know that. I shouldn't be calling you because I know you're really busy doing… whatever, but I just… never mind." _

There were about ten more messages that were almost identical. Her voice was shaky and stressed. I didn't know what was going on, but I didn't like it. I should have felt elated at the fact that a major threat was eradicated, but I sensed a larger threat at home for some reason.

After I finished listening to them all, trying to read between the lines only to come up short, I shoved the phone in my pocket and joined my brothers in the car.

"I have to get home. _Now_."

* * *

HOLY FELIX AND DEMETRI BLOOD BATH BATMAN

**I KNOW, I KNOW. YOU ALL WANTED HER TO TELL HIM THIS CHAPTER, BUT I HAD TO GET A FEW THINGS OUT OF THE WAY FIRST. WE'RE COMING TO A CLOSE AND I NEEDED TO WRAP UP SO EXPECT A BIG REVEAL SOON. HOW CAN I END IN JUST TWO MORE CHAPTERS? YOU SHALL SEE. AND LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, JUST STICK WITH IT UNTIL THE END. IT WILL BE WORTH IT I HOPE. **

**THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL! IVE SAID IT MANY TIMES, BUT PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK SO IT DOESNT HURT TO SAY IT AGAIN. IT WILL BE OUT IN THE SPRING SOMETIME AND BE A CONTINUATION BECAUSE IM NOT DONE WITH THESE TWO. I PROMISE THAT THIS STORY WILL STAND ALONE THOUGH. I WONT LEAVE YOU HANGING WITH A MASSIVE CLIFF HANGER AFTER THE EPIS. I'M NOT THAT MEAN.**

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR THE BETA AND ALL YOU GUYS FOR READING/REVIEWING/ADDING/PIMPING. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.**

**COME BACK ON TUESDAY FOR ANOTHER CHAPTER BUT WHILE YOU'RE WAITING, GO CHECK OUT MY OTHER STORY ON MY PROFILE. ITS ONLY TWO CHAPTERS IN BUT PEOPLE SEEM TO LIKE IT SO FAR. GO SEE WHAT YOU THINK. **

**JOHNNYBOY OUT!**


	44. Chapter 43

The End of Isabella Swan

BELLA POV

_"Truth is one forever absolute, but opinion is truth filtered through the moods, the blood, the disposition of the spectator."-Wendell Phillips_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

I stayed hunched over the toilet in the bathroom. This had become my home for the past couple of hours, and it actually wasn't because of the pregnancy. My stomach was more unsettled because of nerves. Well, I'm sure it was a mixture of both, but my worries were outweighing my hormones.

Edward had been gone since yesterday and was supposed to be back this morning, but he had to stay wherever because of a freak snowstorm. I didn't know where he was and he wouldn't tell me what he was doing. I figured it was something horrible, so I didn't even want to ask.

The more pressing issue was that my seven days were up. Today was the week mark from when I found out that I was pregnant. I gave myself a time limit and I knew what I had to do. Edward was coming home, and he deserved to know. I had tried calling him because I really wanted to say something about the baby. I thought it might be easier over the phone, but that didn't work out like I had planned.

I tried to throw up one more time, but at this point, I had nothing left to expel.

I got up off of the floor and brushed my teeth to get the awful taste out of my mouth. I splashed some water over my face and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like shit, but I hadn't been sleeping well lately; the mix of finals and fear was a good sleep inhibitor. I was scared out of my mind for several reasons.

For one, the father of my child—the man I loved—hated what I was carrying. It wasn't just that Edward didn't like kids; he passionately despised them. He acted like a big kid himself, but I couldn't imagine a person hating a child. If anyone could, though, it was Edward. It didn't matter who they were, either. I had seen him push his little cousins away because they were annoying him or glare at kids on the street because they looked at him funny. How was I supposed to tell him that I was carrying a baby?

Secondly, the school year was over, and I told Charlie that I was staying here for summer classes. When he asked how I was paying for them, I said that I had gotten a small scholarship. That was a complete lie, and I was going to have to go home at some point during the summer—preferably before I started showing. I didn't know what to tell Charlie. I had been so secretive with him over this past year because I was involved in a lot of things I shouldn't. According to him, I was the sweet, innocent girl who was studying her ass off in her dorm. He would soon realize that I not only had a twenty-five year old boyfriend, but that I was knocked up as well? That was going to be a shocker for sure.

He would start digging into Edward and who he was, even though they had already met. Charlie was going to find out what Edward's real last name was, and it would all go downhill from there. Maybe I didn't even need to tell Edward that I we were having a baby, because once Charlie found everything out, it wasn't like I would ever see him again anyway. What about Renee? Oh God, just kill me now.

I was making a mental list of what needed to be done. I had to tell Edward, get to a doctor soon, and go from there.

How was this supposed to work?

"Just tell him." I tried to pump myself up in the mirror. It wasn't working.

I went downstairs and decided to stress cook. I had to do something to subdue my nerves.

I spent hours in the kitchen, making a couple pies, and then a pan of macaroni and cheese since I suddenly wanted some. By the time all of that was done, the kitchen smelled like a cooking show, and I was running out of room to put things on the counter.

The doorbell rang and my heart stopped. I calmed down when I realized that Edward wasn't home yet. He would have used his key. I peeked through the peephole and saw Rose's face on the other side.

"What took you so long?" she asked when I opened the door.

"I was just checking."

"I'm bored. Let's go do something." She plopped down on the sofa, and I sat in the chair next to her. "Do you want to go to Plasma before the guys get back?"

"I don't think so." I shook my head.

"Why? You can't still be sick."

"I think I am and I don't want to go without Alice."

She still had one final test and was studying her ass off, so I hadn't seen her in the past couple of days.

"You don't like me?" Rose feigned hurt.

"You're not exactly the warmest person to hang out with."

"I still know how to have fun and we like each other."

"Yeah, with people around for buffers." I got up from my seat and went back into the kitchen.

"Well, at least I'm not a full on bitch anymore. We just have butting personalities. That doesn't mean we can't go out."

"I guess, but I'm still not feeling well." I munched on a small chocolate chip cookie.

Rose looked around the kitchen. "This sure is a lot of food."

"I was hungry."

She picked up her own cookie and hopped onto the counter. "Well, what do you want to do?"

"Just sit here and wait for Edward to come home."

"Last time I called, they were still stuck in Maine."

"Maine? Is that where they were last night?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Did Emmett tell you that?"

"Emmett tells me everything. Edward didn't tell you why they were going?"

"No."

She bit her lip. "Well, they'll be back soon."

"What do you know?"

"It's best if you don't know right now. Let Edward explain it."

I exhaled deeply. "I try not to ask what he's up to. It scares me too much."

"I understand."

"Rose, can I ask you a question?" I was about to take a big leap of faith here.

"Sure."

"Why do you think Edward hates children?"

She snorted. "Because he can't control them. Or at least, he doesn't know how to. They make him feel awkward, and he wants to treat them like adults, but he doesn't understand that you can't."

"But why is he that way? Emmett and Jasper are fine around kids. I've seen them."

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe his brain just doesn't work that way. I can't explain it. But he probably just doesn't like them. Think about all that poop and throw up and piss; he would go insane."

"Do you think he'll ever change?" My voice was scared and soft.

"Probably not any time soon. Why do you ask?"

I turned around to face the wall, because I couldn't look at her anymore. All I wanted to do was cry or shout or… something. "I was just wondering if he was ever going to change."

"Nope," Rose bounced down from the counter, "that bastard is set in stone."

"Great."

"Are you sure you don't want to go out tonight?"

"I'm just going to stay in and wait."

"Alright, loser. I'm taking these cookies." She picked up a pan and walked out of the kitchen. The front door shut a couple seconds later.

For the rest of the day, I sat on the couch and ate fattening foods. I'm sure it wasn't very healthy, but I needed something to do. When the sun went down, I started to get very nervous, because I figured that Edward would be home soon. I got up from the couch around dinnertime and made a full pot of chicken and broccoli alfredo.

I kept my phone in my hand, and it vibrated an hour later. I took a breath and saw Edward's number on the screen.

"Hello." I tried to make my voice sound as normal as possible.

"_Hi, I tried to call earlier, but we were stuck on the runway and it took us forever to take off." _

"That's okay. Are you hurt?" That was always the question I asked when he had just finished with a job.

"_No, we're all fine and business has been taken care of." _

"That sounds ominously terrifying."

"_I'll explain it all when I get home. Do you want me to pick something up for dinner?" _

"No, I made lots of food so you can come straight home." I chewed on my nail. "When are you going to get here?"

"_We just landed, so about an hour? Are you alright? You called an awful lot when I was away." _

"I'm fine, I just…needed to hear your voice."

Edward didn't say anything for a long second and I could almost hear the unbelieving thoughts he was thinking. He knew something was up.

"Alright, well, I'll be waiting. I missed you."

"_I missed you too, Bella. I'll see you soon." _

I couldn't fall apart now. I needed to stay strong so that I could get this out. I paced the area in front of the window for about an hour, doing my best to dig a hole in the rug.

When I heard the key in the lock of the door, I raced to the kitchen so that I could throw up again. All of this stress was doing me in, and I was about a second away from falling over in exhaustion. I quickly washed out my mouth and fixed my hair.

"Hi." I turned around and smiled just as Edward came into the kitchen. He was in the same clothes from yesterday and looked tired.

"Hi." He grinned. "Did you miss me?"

"I told you I did." I pulled him by his shirt until his lips locked with mine. We stayed connected for a couple of seconds. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving." He looked around the kitchen. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's all this food here. Either my mother had another party while I was gone, or you've been stress cooking. Which one is it?"

"You know; finals." I shrugged.

He sighed through his nose. "You can't keep using that excuse, Bella."

"It's not an excuse." I turned away from him and started fixing a plate. "I'm stressed about my grades. Isn't that a viable reason?"

"Not when you're a genius. You've never worried about grades."

"I'm not a genius, Edward. I have to study and work hard."

"Well, regardless, I know you're hiding something from me."

"And how do you know that?" I handed him his plate.

"Because," He leaned in close to my face, "you're a horrible actress." He placed a kiss on my lips.

"I'm not horrible."

"No, actually you're very good at hiding things, but you can't beat me at my own game."

"Damn," I said under my breath when he walked away.

We sat at opposite ends of the table, and I watched him eat for a couple of minutes. I didn't know how I was going to do this, so I settled for silence. Should I just blurt it out? Should I lead him in with a question or say something funny? Why was this so fucking complicated?

_Edward, I'm pregnant. _

That's all I needed to say, but those words just wouldn't come up out of my throat. I was only making this worse because the longer I waited the more he was going to claim that I kept this from him. He was going to make this all about him. I knew his game plan. He had the right to freak out, but he was going to go dramatic on this one. Edward was going to start WWIII over this baby.

"I got you a gift," he said from down the table.

"Really? From Maine?"

Edward stopped eating for a second and twisted his neck. "Who told you we were in Maine?"

"Rosalie. She wouldn't tell me why, though."

"Do you really want to know, or are you just being nosy? Because I'll tell you, but I know you won't take it well."

"Did you kill someone?" I asked, chewing on my bottom lip.

"A lot of people," he answered, twirling pasta around on his fork. "Seven people."

"Seven? Wow, that's… a lot."

"Not nearly enough and the rest of them killed more."

"Who were they? Did I know them?"

"Two of them, yes."

"Just tell me what you were doing," I sighed.

"We went up to Maine because that's where Felix and Demetri were. I told you I was going to handle them and I did. Don't say that I should have talked because the time for talking is over; and don't tell me that I needed to just leave them alone. They threatened you on multiple occasions so I handled it."

"I wasn't going to say any of that. I know how you feel about that situation. Was it worth it?"

"I can finally breathe now that I know those douches aren't on your ass anymore."

"I just don't like to think that people died over me."

"I will protect you at any cost. If I have to blow through a whole country, then that's what I'll do."

"You're scaring the shit out of me." I pulled my knees up so that I could rest my chin on them. "I don't like thinking about this."

"You know what I do and who I am."

I nodded. "So you got me a gift?" I asked, changing the subject from our morbid one.

"Yeah, well we were stuck in that fucking place for the whole day and had some time to hang out. I saw this in the window of an antiques shop." Edward pulled out a small white box and slid it across the table.

"Antique, huh?"

"I know you don't like the shiny, new toys so this should be more acceptable."

I pulled out a beautiful silver ring with a small diamond set proudly on top. It had a pink hue and was almost blinding, but still small and not overbearing.

"Wow, it's beautiful." I slipped the ring over the fourth finger on my right hand.

"I just thought I'd get you something nice." Edward's voice was suddenly closer. He had taken a seat next to me. "Carlisle always says that the sight of blood can always be washed away by the sight of diamonds."

"That's a cute saying. Is that how Esme's survived all these years?"

"Probably." He sighed, "Look, I know you don't fully understand what I do and why I have to do horrible things sometimes, but I need you to know that I won't let anything happen to you. I have to do what I have to do. Simple as that."

"I know."

"My family is important to me and when we're threatened, it doesn't end well."

"You're very hot when you're protective."

He chuckled my favorite sound, "I try."

He was mesmerizing me with his eyes, and his face was coming dangerously close to mine. I closed the gap and meshed my lips with his. They were soft and incredibly tender; everything I needed right now. When he pulled back slightly, I knew it was either now or never, because I was slowly starting to go insane from keeping my massive secret.

"Edward, I have something to tell you."

"What?" His lips moved to my neck, and his hand dipped into my sweatpants, running over my slit. Now it was really hard to concentrate.

"I…" I gripped his hair tightly, "I'm pregnant."

His hand stilled and his kisses stopped completely.

"What did you just say?" Edward pulled away from me. His face had turned completely to stone.

"I'm pregnant," I whispered.

He let out a shuddering breath. "How do you know?"

"Besides the changes in my body, I took three tests."

"Changes in your body?" He looked me up and down.

"My boobs hurt; I'm nauseated, always tired, and I can smell absolutely everything."

"Oh my God." He sat back in his chair. "This can't be happening."

I let him ruminate the information in his head for a couple minutes. I didn't say one word, but I really wanted to. I needed to know what he was feeling. His face and body didn't give anything away. He just sat there like a statue and breathed through his nose.

"I thought you were on the pill?" Edward asked me.

"I am, but… I skipped a few days, and then I wasn't paying attention to the time so…"

"You missed a couple of days? You weren't watching?" He pushed himself up from the table and grabbed his plate. He went into the kitchen, and I heard a crash as the plate broke into tiny pieces.

He was furious.

There was another crash, and then his feet stomped back into the dining room. "Bella, you better not be joking. Did Emmett put you up to this?"

"This isn't a joke, Edward."

He nodded. "Okay, then. Deal with it."

"Deal with what?"

"Get rid of it." Edward started climbing the stairs.

It took me a couple of seconds to realize what the hell he was saying, and I almost went into full volcanic mode when I did. I ran up the stairs after him and barged into the bedroom.

"What did you just say?"

"I said, I want you to get rid of it; the baby has to go," Edward muttered with finality.

"Are you serious? You don't even want to think about this? You're first reaction is to get rid of it?"

"Yes, I'm being a realist. Get rid of the baby."

"What happened to all your old Italian, Catholic teachings?"

"Don't get all religious on me, Bella." He undid his tie roughly. "Do you realize how bad this is?"

"Do you realize how good this _might _be? We're going to have a child."

"No, we're not. I'm going to give you my credit card, turn my head, and you're going to handle this."

"Can you hear yourself right now?" I shouted. "You haven't even thought about this."

Edward sat on the bed and took a deep breath. "Bella, you're eighteen fucking years old. You are in no way financially or emotionally stable to have a child."

"That's what I have you for."

"I sure as hell am not having a child. There is no way that I'm ready to have a kid. I'm never having children." He went into the bathroom.

I followed him. "Edward, I know that I'm young and I'm fucking scared out of my mind, but I can't just get rid of my baby."

"Alright, adoption?" He leaned against the counter. "Can you carry a baby for nine months, and then give it away?"

"Why would I even want to do that?"

"Because I'm not having children. I can't say it any more ways."

"You're such a coward. I knew this was going to happen, but I thought you'd at least think about this. Maybe you need time…"

"I don't need to think, Bella. I'm about to take over the largest crime family in the world, and you want me to not only protect you, but also a child? If you want to give it up for adoption, that's fine with me, but I highly doubt that you would want to go that route."

"You're being a complete jackass. This is more than just you and me, Edward."

"I can't believe you would do this to me," he suddenly said and gripped the side of the counter. "You've ruined everything. How could you not prevent this? You're completely irresponsible."

"I didn't do anything on purpose, and I'm sorry, but my sense of time kind of got knocked into a hurricane when I had to deal with you and your fucking heart attack. It wasn't like I planned to bring your perfect life down to its knees. I'm sorry that you think I ruined your life."

"You're so reckless. This affects more than just you, Bella. I can't have a child. I hate them; I don't have the means to take care of one, and I certainly don't feel like dealing with a baby when I have so much shit on my plate I can barely breathe."

"So you're just going to kick me out?"

"No, I love you. I don't love that baby."

I stood there stunned for a second. "How could you say that? This is just as much a part of me as it is you."

"Well, I don't want it." Edward walked out of the bathroom. "Get rid of the baby, Bella. If you think you can handle adoption then that's what we'll do, but if not…" He left his sentence trail off.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this right now."

"What did you expect? You know I despise children and you drop a bomb on me like that?"

"Do you want to think about it? I can tell you right now; I'm not killing our baby."

"You don't have a choice. What are you going to do if I kick you out? You have no money, no place to live, and you're still in school. Bella, I'm trying to help you right now. You can't have this baby."

I just shook my head and walked out of the room without looking at him. I could feel tears in my eyes, but didn't care.

"Where are you going?"

I put on my shoes. "To stay with Alice for the night."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"No, I'm not going to tell anyone." I wiped my face. "Just so you know, you're making me feel incredibly horrible for something that could be good. I know you're scared, because I am too, but… just think about it, Edward. I'm not giving this up. I'll do this whether you want me to or not."

He didn't say anything as I backed out of the door and heard it shut behind me. All the way down to Alice and Jasper's floor, I cried so hard that my eyes hurt. I was exhausted, and all I wanted to do was crash. I barely made it down the hall and to their door. I knocked and waited.

"Oh, hey, Bella," Jasper answered in sweatpants and nothing else, running a towel through his hair. He noticed my tears. "What happened?"

I calmed my sobs so I could speak. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

"Sure." He moved away from the door. "Are you okay? Is Edward hurt? What happened?"

"Nothing, we just had a fight." I shook my head. "It's nothing."

"I'll get Alice." He guided me into his family room, and I sat on the comfortable couch. I didn't get a chance to talk to Alice, because I fell asleep a couple seconds later.

My dreams that night were filled with things that were starting to become impossible.

I saw brief moments of a life that I would never have: Edward and me at an altar; Edward and me walking in the park with a bronze haired boy and green eyes; Edward and me with a little girl, who was too beautiful for words. None of them would be in my near future. The way I saw it, I could either have one or the other—Edward or my baby.

How was I supposed to choose? What was I supposed to do? How could I make this decision? I shouldn't have to make this decision. I was dealing with way too much right now and nothing was making any sense. How could Edward not want his own child? I knew he was scared, but so was I. Maybe I was being a little hypocritical since I had thought about my options for a split second, but it was only that long. Edward was pushing this abortion thing pretty hard. He did suggest adoption, but he was right. If I carried this baby for nine months, I would be far too attached to give it all up. I was too attached now. I would never be able to give up my child— now or nine months down the road.

When I woke up, I was even more exhausted than I was before.

I rolled over and felt a strange bed with covers up to my chin. I looked around the room and saw that I was in one of Jasper's guestrooms. It was minimally done in gray and black; soothing colors. The bed was incredibly fluffy and I never wanted to get out.

"Jasper, don't wake her up." I heard Alice's voice in a whisper from the other side of the door.

"Why? She's been sleeping for basically the whole day."

"You saw her when she came in last night. She looked terrible. She must still be sick; that's what Rose said. Did you talk to Edward?"

"Yeah, all he said was that they had a huge fight, but he wouldn't tell me what it was about."

"Maybe they broke up?"

"No, he told me he didn't want to break up with her; I asked."

"Well then, what the hell happened?"

"Can we go in now?"

"Quietly." I heard the door creak open and feet coming into the room.

"Bella, are you up?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah." My voice was thick and grainy. I rolled over and smiled at him.

"We were so worried about you." Alice got on the bed lightly. "Are you sick?"

"I think I have the flu," I lied. I still wasn't ready to tell anyone yet.

"Oh, no. I can't get sick." Jasper backed up quickly. "Why did you come here?"

"I'm not trying to poison you," I laughed, straining to sit up in bed.

"You look like shit," Alice observed.

"Well, thank you."

"I didn't mean it badly: I'm just concerned. Did Edward kick you out?"

"Of course he didn't," Jasper defended his brother. "He didn't, did he?"

"No, I left. We needed to cool off after… our fight."

"What happened?" Alice's face was so tortured for me.

"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it right now. Did you see him today?" I asked Jasper.

"Yeah, he looks like shit, too. He said he wanted to talk to you."

"Really?"

"You two must be dealing with something serious."

"You could say that." I pulled the covers off of me, suddenly very hot, and climbed out of bed. "Thank you for letting me stay here last night."

"Of course. Are you sure you want to go back so quickly? Maybe we should talk," Alice suggested and followed me down the hall.

"No, I just want to see Edward. It's going to be alright," I assured her. "Sorry for crashing."

"It's okay, get better." Jasper leaned in like he was going to kiss my cheek, but then backed up. "Uh, never mind. I can't get sick right now."

"It's alright. I'll see you guys later." I left their apartment and waited for the elevator.

On my way up, I had a slight sense of hopefulness. I knew I shouldn't have just expected Edward to rejoice at the prospect of having a child, but I didn't think he would be so rash. To jump straight to abortion without even really talking about things was frightening. I wouldn't give that option the time of day, and he couldn't tell me what to do. I was just praying that I could talk some sense into him.

My heart beat thunderously as I stood in front of his door and knocked. It took a couple of seconds, but he opened it and let me in. Edward looked like Jasper had said—shit. There were deep bags under his eyes, and his face had a deep strain to it that told me he had been up the whole night.

"Hi," I said awkwardly and looked down at my feet.

"Hi," he replied. "I guess we need to talk."

"Yeah."

He led me to the kitchen, and I sat on a barstool.

"I would offer you coffee, but the books say that you're not allowed to have any." He held up a "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book.

"You brought that?"

Edward nodded. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to understand what the fuck was going on."

"I know you're scared, and I'm sorry…"

"No, Bella, I'm terrified and not just for me. What kind of father would I make? I shouldn't be raising a child, and I don't think you're seeing that correctly. You seem to think that this will be a good thing, but if you bring a child into this world, we'll both screw it up."

"We'll have help. We don't really know what to do now, but we have your parents and everyone else. We'll learn."

"We'll learn," he repeated. "That's not how it works. I just can't see this being positive. I know I was harsh last night… but that's the only option I see."

"You would want to kill your own flesh and blood?"

"I don't want this baby. I just want you." His eyes were so sad. It was heartbreaking, but I told myself to stay strong.

"We're a package deal now, Edward. I'm having your baby." I jumped off the stool and took his hands in mine. "We're having a baby."

"I don't know what to do."

"Isn't this what's supposed to happen? Aren't you supposed to have a big family and lots of kids to help your legacy last or something?"

"Bella, you're eighteen. Even if I wanted that stuff, I would wait until I was ready, and you were older. I can't… I just can't do this right now."

I deflated completely. "There's no changing your mind?"

"There's no changing yours?"

I shook my head. "I'm keeping this baby."

He nodded and closed his eyes. "What am I going to do?"

"You could… accept that. I don't want to push you into a corner, but I love you and I know you love me. This is just a speed bump."

Edward let my hands go and ran his through his hair. "I'm sorry, but right now, my mind just can't wrap around the thought of having a child."

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him; he didn't pull away. "I'm going to go for a walk and give you some more time to think. I know I just dropped this on you, but this is happening. I really need your help, Edward."

He didn't say anything, and I kissed him again.

I went upstairs to change and brush my teeth. Surprisingly, I wasn't hungry this morning. All I wanted to do was get out into some fresh air. I felt like that was the only way I could think.

When I was in the bathroom, I took a look at my stomach. Nothing had changed, and I was still flat as a board, but I could almost feel the baby growing inside of me; it was a part of me. How could Edward _not_ want this? Was it a guy thing? I figured he just needed more time, and I would give him all he needed.

I went back to the kitchen and found Edward reading the book, his head bent and furrowed in thought.

"Don't go too far," he said without looking at me.

"Just think about everything I said." I began to walk out of the kitchen. "And could you ask Benny to stay here? I need to be alone."

"I can't…"

"Please, Edward. I don't want him breathing down my neck."

He didn't reply, but I saw that he gave his approval.

I left the apartment and tapped my foot on the elevator floor as it went down. The more I was in this building, the more I felt like I was suffocating. I needed to get out and walk around, or I was going to go crazy. This was a lot to handle in such a short amount of time, and my head was about to explode. Finally, the doors dinged open, and I shuffled into the lobby before taking my first breath of fresh air in what felt like years.

I walked slowly, just thinking, for what must have been an hour. I went to the park and made sure to take a break on a couple benches so that I could see the kids running around with their parents. I wanted to know how they dealt with children. Was I going to be a good mother? So far, things weren't going so well, but I had to believe that they would get better.

While I was sitting and watching, I felt the bench dip down as someone occupied the space next to me.

"Hello, Bella," a deep voice said.

I was surprised as hell when I turned my head and saw Jacob Black sitting there. He was playing with his tie nonchalantly and had his sunglasses on so that I couldn't see his eyes.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I scooted away from him. If there was a reason he was here, it wasn't good.

"I'm here to bring bad news, unfortunately, but we'll get to that later. How are you?"

I started to get up from the bench, but Jacob's hand pushed me back down roughly. He didn't let me go when I was sitting again.

"What do you want?" I spat. "I need to get back home."

"I'm sorry, but that won't be happening today. Why don't we just sit and talk. I'm trying to be nice for a change."

"I don't want to talk to you. Let me go." I tried to get out of his grasp, but he wouldn't release.

"Where were you last night?" he demanded.

"At home."

"Where was Edward?"

"With me. Let me go."

"Was he there the whole day and night?"

"I don't know what he does during the day, but he was with me last night. Why the hell do you care?"

"It's not nice to lie to a police officer, Bella. I'm sure your father taught you that."

"What the hell do you want?" I struggled and he was really starting to hurt me with his grip.

"I'm sorry I have to do this, Bella. I really thought you'd be more cooperative. You're under arrest." He swung my wrist behind my back painfully, and I felt cold metal against my skin.

"I'm what?" I felt like throwing up. This was happening so fast that I couldn't even understand it.

"Isabella Swan, you're under arrest for obstruction of justice and racketeering. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

"I don't even understand what you're talking about; racketeering?

"Among other things." Jacob started walking and pulled me behind him towards the street where a car was waiting. "We have a whole laundry list of wonderful charges."

"You're just doing this to get to Edward."

"Bring down the girl, bring down the man." Jacob ducked my head into the back of the car and another officer was in the front seat, "This is the end of Isabella Swan and I'm sorry."

"I'm Embry Quill. We'll be seeing a lot of each other."

I didn't know what to say or what was going on. I was scared out of my mind and terrified. I wanted to talk to anyone who knew what the hell was happening. How did my life become so drama filled? It was one thing after another, and this was just the icing on the cake.

_How more fucked up could my life get? _

Jacob Black got into the driver's seat with a devilish grin. "Bella, I would get very comfortable, because this is the last of the outside you're going to see for a long time."

* * *

**HOLY PILED ON DRAMA BATMAN**

**COULD IT GET ANY WORSE? I DONT THINK IT COULD. OF COURSE, EDWARD'S REACTION WASN'T AS THE MOST WONDERFUL, BUT WAS IT REALLY THAT MUCH OF A SHOCK? YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT COMING. THE ENDING, IS JUST A MESS, I KNOW, BUT THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER, RIGHT? HA. NOT LIKELY. **

**IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, THIS IS BELLA'S LAST FULL CHAPTER OF THE STORY. I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE I CAN SAY BECAUSE I'M NOT GIVING ANYTHING AWAY SO i'M JUST GOING TO SHUT UP FOR NOW. **

**NOW YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO HATE ME BECAUSE I WONT BE ABLE TO UPDATE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. IM GOING AWAY FOR THANKSGIVING AND THE INTERNET IS SKETCHY. I'LL TRY, BUT ITS NOT LIKELY. EXPECT AN UPDATE ON SUNDAY AT THE EARLIEST. **

**IVE ALSO BEEN GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT MY STORIES SCHEDULES. HERE'S WHAT I HAVE SO FAR. TWBB IS FINISHING SOON AND IN THE MEAN TIME, IM WRITING MY NEW ONE BLACKBIRD. THAT SHOULD BE OVER IN EARLY SPRING AND THEN THE SEQUEL FOR THIS STORY WILL BE OUT IN LATE SPRING. AFTER IT ENDS IN THE SUMMER, I WILL START THE LDV SEQUEL. I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT SO DONT WORRY. **

**OK, I'LL SHUT UP NOW**

**THANKS TO JENNY FOR THE BETAING AND ALL YOU GUYS FOR THE LOVE. **

**JOHNNYBOY OUT!**


	45. Chapter 44

The End

EDWARD POV

""The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof."-Richard Bach

All things Twilight Related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

_It would be surprising if you weren't tired. In some ways, your pregnant body is working harder even when you're resting than a nonpregnant body is when mountain-climbing; you just can't see its efforts. For one thing, it's manufacturing your baby's life-support system, the placenta, which won't be completed until the end of the first trimester. For another, it's adjusting to the many other physical and emotional demands of pregnancy, which are considerable. Once your body has adjusted and the placenta…_

I had to stop reading after that.

I smashed my palms into my eyes and scrubbed them across my face. My heart was still pumping a little quicker than usual, and my head was pounding. For the first time in years, I wanted to take a nap.

Could this really be happening? How could this be happening?

I took a large gulp of water and tried to sooth my fiery nerves. I was pissed; I was confused. I was uncertain, but I was also terrified, and I had never in my life felt that emotion.

Bella had just left for her walk, and I was thankful for that, because I couldn't breathe while she was around right now. It was hard for me to even think about being in the same room with her. Did she really not see how much of a bad idea this was? She was pregnant! Holy shit, she was pregnant! She was pregnant!

I had to say it at least ten times before I could even fathom the possibility of that statement. A child with my eyes or my hair or my nose… It made me sick just thinking about it. Like she requested, I had called Benny and asked him to stay behind. She needed her time alone just as much as I did.

There were so many things that could go wrong with this, and I wasn't just thinking about myself.

Bella was fucking eighteen years old. She had her whole life ahead of her for this kind of shit. In ten years, when she had grown up and was with some man who wanted kids, then she could rethink things. But that brought about a new set of problems. I didn't want her with another man now, and I didn't want her with another one in ten years. Bella was mine, and I planned on keeping it that way. Never mind about the marriage thing or the fact that I would make a horrible husband; some people just dated forever, right?

Last night, I was so excited to get home because I had taken care of the threat. With Felix and Demetri gone, a weight was lifted off of my shoulders, and I felt like I could finally breathe. Bella was somewhat safer now. I didn't have to look over my shoulder every five seconds for one of the Volturi boys to pop up and kill her. Of course, the threat would never be truly gone, but I didn't have those stupid mosquitoes buzzing in my ear anymore.

My seemingly good mood came crashing down when Bella revealed her little secret.

My first reaction was to disbelieve her. I had encountered this before, and on those occasions, girls lied because they wanted to trap me. There was never any truth to those situations, and I really hoped that Bella was following the same path. But then the logical side of my brain stepped in. Bella and I were already together. She had me under her finger. What need would she have to fabricate a lie like that? She didn't need to lie to me.

So, Bella was pregnant. That was the only conclusion I could come up with. Whatever happened to modern science? I knew birth control wasn't full proof, but this was ridiculous. Why now? This was the worst possible time for this to fall into my lap. I was on the verge of taking over a major crime syndicate and still in remission from a fucking heart attack. My life wasn't really conducive for a child, even if I did want one.

I could never see someone like me raising a kid. I would be horrible; things weren't going to get any easier as I got older. I knew that it was my lot in life to produce children, but I was hoping that I could skirt around that topic. I'm sure Emmett, Alec, and Jasper could provide more than enough kids to keep the Cullen name going. Why did I need to be a part of that?

When Bella told me, I blew up. I didn't know how else I was supposed to act. My brain was going crazy with questions that I just wanted to spit at her and demand answers. I felt like I needed to hit something, so that's why I got up from the table. I should have taken a couple of breaths and just talked it out, but i didn't have words. When Bella did push me to say something, I exploded with all of my thoughts.

I was ashamed of my first reaction to the news, but I had always known that "getting rid" of the baby was the path I would choose. Abortion or adoption, I didn't care which just as long as I didn't have to be burdened with a fucking baby. Call me a coward or whatever, but that was my stance, and I was sticking to it. I wasn't only doing this for Bella and myself, but for that kid too. How well could it turn out? There were no positives to this situation, and I just needed to convince Bella of that.

I didn't know how far along she was—we never got that far—but I figured abortion was still an option. She could be through with this in minutes. That would be fine with me. We didn't even have to tell anyone. If Bella didn't go for that, then there was also adoption. That would be a far more strenuous route, but it would still leave us free of a child. That was the main goal. People would obviously know that Bella was pregnant if we went that way, although, it might be a better option if she didn't want to go to a clinic. Everyone would hate me, but it was the only viable possibility. Whichever was fine with me.

Unfortunately, Bella wasn't seeing things my way. I didn't know what about this made anything appear positive, but it seemed like I was the only one in this relationship with a clear head. This baby was going to ruin Bella's life. She was going to have to drop out of school, take time off and probably wouldn't ever go back. I didn't want that for her. I had already taken so much from Bella without giving anything back and now this? I was destroying her life. We couldn't have this baby.

I groaned and banged my head against the counter, "Stupid, stupid, stupid…"

There was a knock at the door, and I didn't even move from my spot. I didn't care to open it. Bella had a key so anyone else could suck it. I wasn't in the mood to deal with stupidity today.

"Yo, Edward," Emmett's voice yelled, "we're here and we're hungry. You better not be hogging pizza or I'm breaking your arm."

"I have to remember to take that key away," I said to myself and put the pregnancy book in a drawer so he wouldn't suspect anything. I was going to leave it up to Bella about telling people. I didn't mind as long as in nine months' time, I wasn't rocking a baby to sleep.

"What's going on?" Emmett started going through my fridge for food. Alec was with him, and he sat on a barstool, eating a massive chocolate bar.

"Don't you have your own house? I'm tired of you being over here," I growled.

"You will never be rid of me." He laughed. "Besides, Rose hasn't gone grocery shopping this week. I'm hungry and I know Bella always keeps this place stocked."

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Why is there so much damned ginger ale?" He moved stuff around. "I can't even find the food. This is ridiculous. There must be ten bottles in here."

"It helps Bella's stomach. She's still sick," I lied.

"Maybe she should go see a doctor," Alec suggested. "It's not healthy for her to be sick this long. Is she all right?"

"She's fine." I shut the refrigerator door. "Can I help either of you?"

"We're bored," Emmett pouted. "Let's go shoot something. We could go play arrow roulette."

"As much as I would love that, I'm busy and you need to occupy your time in a healthier way. I'm sure you have some work to do."

"Don't care. I'm on vacation."

"We just got back from vacation and like I said, I'm busy."

"With what?" Alec asked.

"Things that don't concern you. Leave," I commanded and crossed my arms.

"No, I don't think we will." Emmett sat next to Alec. "What the hell happened with you and Bella last night?"

"What do you mean?" I exhaled, getting very annoyed with my brothers.

"Jasper said you guys had a massive fight and she had to stay with him and Alice. What did you do?"

"Can nothing stay private in this family?" I ran a hand through my hair. He didn't mention the baby, so I assumed Bella hadn't said anything to either Jasper or Alice. I would have heard about it by now.

"What's going on?" Alec was concerned. I could tell by the tone of his voice. His childlike curiosity and knack for sensing problems was becoming highly dangerous for me in this situation.

"Nothing, just drop it."

"You did something to Bella, didn't you?" Emmett squinted his eyes at me. "You made her cry?"

"Yes," I admitted, "we just had a fight."

"About what?"

"I can't remember." I shrugged.

"You're lying," Emmett accused.

"So what if I am? No one asked you to butt into my business."

"This is Bella's business too," Alec challenged. "We have a right to know."

"Stupid Italian, gossiping, brothers…" I grumbled under my breath and filled a glass with water. It was time to take my medication and today, I needed it more than ever.

"Are you still taking that shit?" Emmett asked.

"Yes, and I don't need your mouth right now. Just leave." I ingested a couple pills and swallowed the water.

"You're extra bitchy today," Alec said.

"It must be his man-period."

"Both of you need to leave." I roughly picked Alec up by the collar of his shirt and started shoving him into the hallway.

"You know, we can give you brotherly advice if you'd just ask." Emmett followed us.

"I already got the big brother talk from Jasper last night."

"He's stupid. You need to come to me for girlfriend problems."

"That makes me feel so much better." I rolled my eyes.

"Are you going to break up with her? You know Ma would kill you if you did." Alec pushed me off of him.

"No, I'm not breaking up with her. We're just… having issues."

"Jasper said that she was crying like crazy last night. Did you hurt her?"

"Of course I didn't and I would appreciate it if you would stop getting your information from Jasper. You three are like old ladies. Keep your noses in your own business."

"Fine, we'll go downstairs and have some fun without you." Emmett walked out of my apartment. "Come on, kid."

"Bye, Edward." Alec waved and trotted after him.

I slammed the door and stomped back to the kitchen. I didn't want to go back to reading that stupid book again, because I could barely understand what the hell it was saying. There were so many words that were foreign to me, and I only got more stressed with each turn of the page. How the hell were we supposed to raise a baby? There was no way in hell it was going to work. I just had to convince Bella that our only option was to handle it by other means.

I wasn't a total monster. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized that I had created something. A part of me was growing inside of Bella, and I'm sure some people would die to be in my position; just not me. Should I want a child? Like with most normal things, my mind wasn't wired that way. I only saw this as a negative.

Besides the theoretical horrors of me raising a child, there was also the very real possibility that I might actually die if I had to care for something that vomited and pooped and peed excessively for the first year of its life.

I shuddered just thinking about being anywhere near a baby. How the hell did people take care of those things?

I sighed heavily, going back into the kitchen to resume my reading. I was trying to understand what about this child thing was so appealing to everyone. My plans still weren't changing, but I might be able to sympathize with Bella more if I knew why she was willing to sacrifice everything for this baby.

I never wanted to be away from her again, because that only caused me to do stupid things. I didn't want to lose Bella, but would she make me choose? I figured yes, and I didn't want to even think about that right now. My main goal was to just get her to see reason.

Before I could even open the damned pregnancy book up, there was another knock on the door.

"Edward, open up. I need to talk to you." I heard my father's voice frantically commanding me.

"What do you want?" I shouted, not moving from the counter.

"This is no time for games. Open this fucking door!"

I rolled my eyes and trekked into the hallway. He pushed past me when I opened the door, and I could tell that he was worried about something. Carlisle rarely showed signs of agitation or stress, so this was a little perplexing.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Sit down." He went to my liquor cabinet that had just been restocked, and pulled out a large bottle of scotch.

"Should I be worried?" I sat on the couch.

"I'm about to tell you something, but I want you to just take deep breaths and think before you act."

"What's going on?" I said skeptically, "I don't like the way you're talking."

He downed his drink and began pouring another one. "Bella got arrested."

It took me a second to digest his words. "I'm confused. What did you say?"

"Bella was just arrested."

"No… what? That's impossible. I just saw her like an hour ago. She went out… for a walk. I think you misunderstood."

"Edward, listen to me, this is serious. I just got a call from the Commissioner; they're holding her downtown."

I blinked a couple of times, trying to understand what the hell he was talking about. "She was arrested?"

"I don't like repeating myself and I've done it twice already." Carlisle sighed. "I'm working on it."

"What the hell are the charges?" I jumped up from the couch, my legs wanting to run out of the room.

"A whole bunch of shit that's trumped up. They're trying to get her to talk about your recent trip to Maine."

"What does that have to do with her?" I realized that I was shouting at this point, but I didn't care.

"Racketeering, harboring a suspect, money laundering, drug trafficking; it's a mess, Edward and they're just getting started. They're even trying to charge her with accessory to murder since they think she knows something about Maine."

"She has nothing to do with any of that." I was seething.

"Of course she doesn't and most of the charges aren't going to be worth anything, but she is in a very bad position right now."

"Why? Just get her out."

"I can't do that. The Commissioner is blowing smoke up my ass and he's starting to ask questions."

"Get her out!"

"It doesn't work like that, Edward. You can't just bypass the entire legal system; not this time. Bella has been arrested and there are actually a few things that suggest she broke the law, but they're trying to get to you. You need to calm down and let me handle this."

"I won't let her go down for my mistakes. She didn't do anything wrong," I argued, my heart starting to thunder in my chest.

"She will be held and I have Jenks working on things, but… this is a tricky situation."

"Why? It seems simple to me. Bella is innocent so she'll get off. How are you not seeing this?"

"Edward, they won't let her go without getting to you first. Bella's just a liability and they're trying to scare us."

"So you're not going to do anything?"

"I'm doing all I can. You have to let this work itself out."

"Are you fucking serious? Is that what you have to say to me?"

"Edward, this is going to get very dirty because Jacob isn't letting Bella go. He's going to use her against us."

"They don't have anything on her." I was pulling at my hair so tightly that it hurt. "Why not Alice or Rose?"

"I don't know," Carlisle sighed. "I'm being proactive about it all, though. I can't stall much longer and once things get out about this, they won't stop. People are going to ask questions and start searching for answers."

"This shouldn't be as bad as it's sounding. I still don't understand the charges. Don't we have a plan in place for this?"

"They can hold her for a traffic violation and beef it up to ten years if they want to. It doesn't matter. They're trying to humiliate you and it's working. Our plan is always to be proactive. We're going to nip this thing in the bud before it even gets started."

Before I could even think about it, I jumped over the back of the sofa and went into the kitchen, grabbing my keys off of the counter. I threw the pregnancy book in the trash. I would worry about that later.

"Edward, where are you going?"

"To get Bella back." I slammed the door shut and was in the elevator in a second.

I heard Carlisle yelling at me as the doors closed, but I could have cared less.

This was my biggest fear come true. I didn't even really know what the whole situation was, but after the words "Bella got arrested" were uttered, I didn't really need to know. Because of me, she was being taken, and I would figure the rest out after I got her freed. This was turning into a massive shit storm that neither of us needed to be dealing with right now, and I was going to make sure that the right people paid for crossing me.

Why was it always Bella? Alice and Rosalie were sitting ducks and perfect candidates for the taking. Not that I ever wished anything bad on them, but Bella needed a fucking break. I knew why Black was doing this. He wanted me to do something rash and dig myself into a hole. Carlisle was right; they could hold her on trumped up charges and plant all the evidence they wanted just to make me enraged. It wasn't a secret that I acted before I thought, and this was just one instance when I wished I could control the beast inside of me. It wasn't going to happen.

I would handle everyone else after Bella was let go.

Thankfully, the Saleen was waiting in the garage, and I was more than ready to stretch her legs. I sped out of the parking lot and blasted through the streets, not bothering to look at lights or stop signs. I didn't know what I planned on doing when I got there, but I would figure it out later.

By the time I reached the downtown office, my blood was raging in my body, and I was trying to convince myself that I didn't need to blow up. For good reason though, I brought my Eagle. I wasn't playing games anymore. I jumped out of the car and just kept running.

"Edward, where are you going?" Emmett's Mercedes screeched to a halt in front of me, effectively blocking my path.

"What does it look like?" I tried to move in front of the car, but he accelerated and blocked me again.

"You can't go in there. Dad told me what happened."

"Get out of my way." I closed my eyes to calm down. The last thing I needed to do was shoot my brother in the parking lot of the police department.

"Edward, let them handle this."

"She did nothing wrong!" I shouted at him.

"I know that, but you can't just barge in there and expect things to be resolved."

"You can say that because Rosalie isn't sitting in a fucking jail cell."

"I know you're mad, but we're going to get her out. They won't be able to hurt her." Emmett got out of the car, leaving it running. "Just calm down before you give yourself a stroke."

I breathed deeply, clutching my gun in my hand. "They arrested her. It was my fault…"

"It's not your fault, Edward. Just get in the car and I'll drive you home."

"I can't just leave her in there."

I pushed him off of me and jumped over the hood of his car, sliding to the ground and darting up the sidewalk. I took the stairs three at a time and right before I reached the door, I felt arms wrap around my torso from behind.

I struggled to break free. "Get the fuck off of me."

"I can't let you get in anymore trouble." Emmett was too strong, so I was flailing around aimlessly but still trying to break free.

"Let me go!" I threw my head back and heard a crack as I broke his nose, but Emmett still didn't release his hold. He carried me to the car and by the way my hands were bound, I couldn't move or use my Eagle.

"I've been ordered to take you home." It took him a long time to get me in the car, but he finally shoved me through the door and grabbed the gun from me.

He was speeding away from the police department and as much as I protested, he wouldn't hear my reasoning.

"Just let me handle my own business." I was debating on whether or not I should just kill him now and take control of the car.

"Let Dad deal with this. He knows what he's doing but you need to lay low. Did you know that Aro took out a hit on you this morning? He's fucking out for our blood, dude."

"Let him try. I'm ready for him."

"You need to just shut up and take a break for a couple of days. You can't run over everyone and expect to get off without consequences. You know I'm with you but calm down."

"She's in fucking jail. Does no one understand that?" I pulled at my hair.

"Bella isn't going to get in trouble and you know it. Black wants you to come out of hiding."

"Why didn't he just come after me?"

"Because he needs you enraged. We have to keep you safe, first and foremost."

"I can't believe we're just going to let her sit in jail!"

"Dad's dealing with it," Emmett yelled. "Just shut up. I can't have you getting yourself locked up too. Then we'd get nowhere."

I sulked in my seat, trying to control my heart because it was about to explode out of my chest.

It didn't matter what "condition" Bella was in, I had to push through my opinions on our baby and just get her the fuck out of jail. I almost choked on air as I thought about what I had just said: _our _baby.

This was not good at all. I had to keep reminding myself that my father promised to handle this. If I didn't have that vow, I would have turned this car around and headed right back to the police offices. Bella was my main priority right now. Not the baby, not me, and not Jacob fucking Black—just Bella.

By the time we reached my parents' house, I was still furious, but trying to calm down so that I could logically get some answers.

I jumped out of the car and raced inside.

"Edward, calm down or you're going to give yourself another heart attack." Esme hugged me. "Carlisle's going to get her out."

"Where is he?" I pushed her off.

"In his office." Her voice was small, and I could tell that we were in a worse situation than people were telling me.

I bounded up the stairs and busted through Carlisle's office door. He was on the phone and shouting with a red face. Nicola was in his wheelchair and watching his grandson work.

"How the hell did you get up here?" I asked him.

"Never mind that; how is Bella?"

"I don't know. No one's telling me anything and Emmett wouldn't let me get in to see her."

"Good. Who knows what you would have done." Nicola rolled towards the desk and pressed the receiver button on the phone, cutting it off.

"What the hell was that for?" Carlisle slammed the phone down.

"You're not going to get anything done with normal bureaucracy. What's the Commissioner saying?"

"He wants to know who the hell Bella is and why she has racketeering charges against her. Jacob locked her up for illegal gambling." He sat in his large chair.

"Are you fucking serious?"

"He has tape of her at the tracks a couple days ago and says she frequents your casino a lot."

"She's been there once and she never paid for anything at the tracks," I argued, "Isn't the legal gambling age eighteen?"

"Horse betting is different; twenty-one."

"This is bullshit." I yelled, "She did nothing wrong."

"It doesn't matter; until they do an investigation, we can't get her out. At least, until her arraignment tomorrow. They'll set bail and we'll post it, but until then, she's staying downtown. Plus, you went home last night after that massacre and they're trying to say she harbored a fugitive."

"I went back to my own house. They can't charge her for that."

"They can do anything they want if they spin it the right way. Don't underestimate this, Edward. The Commissioner has never been on our bad side, but this could turn out horribly."

"And what about that gambling shit? Alec is way younger than she is and he was betting too."

"I know, I know. No one cares about that, though, and now I have people looking into you for RICCO charges. They want to know where each and every cent of your money is coming from."

"What about you?" My breathing was harsh and deliberate.

"They would never touch your father. He pays all their salaries and he would just fight back, causing a hell of a scandal," Nicola thought out loud. "Bella can't fight with any gusto. She has nothing."

"So what are you going to do?" I asked my father. "She didn't do anything. I won't let her go down for me."

"First of all, we need to get you out of the country, and then I'll post her bail tomorrow. After that, I'll get Jenks to handle her case because this sure as hell will end up in court. Black won't ever let this go now that he has you in the palm of his hand." Carlisle was typing on his computer quickly, his fingers flying across the keys.

"I'm not going anywhere until I see Bella."

"Edward, I don't have time to debate this with you. You're leaving and getting under the radar. Once they start with this investigation, I won't be able to hide you anymore. The RICCO charges are just the start. You better believe that they have things on that stunt you pulled in Maine, especially if Aro's involved."

"And then that Shinobu shit's going to get on board." Nicola rolled his eyes. "I suggest posting Bella's bail tomorrow, and then shipping her off to wherever you send Edward to."

"You want to make them both fugitives?" Carlisle sighed. "I can't do that. If Edward leaves now, he can come back without any consequence. If Bella violates her bail, she could be in deep water."

"Oh, please," Nicola scoffed. "I've been a fugitive since 1972. They don't have enough resources to hunt her down. Get Edward out now, and then Bella can follow tomorrow."

"I said I'm not leaving until I make sure she's safe," I repeated.

"You don't really have a say anymore, son." Carlisle looked at me. "If you want Bella safe, then you'll do as I say. Let me handle this."

"You keep saying that, but nothing's getting done. I need Bella out of jail and her name cleared." I slammed my fist down on his desk, rattling the things on top of it.

"First of all, never raise your voice to me again. Don't forget who runs this family. You might think you have clout, but I can run your ass over in a second if I need to. No one is above me and I'll do what I think is necessary."

"What if your way is wrong?" I gritted.

Nicola slapped the back of my head so hard that I thought my spinal column had snapped, "Bite your tongue. We know what we're doing. You young kids think you can do anything and everything, but there's a system."

"The system doesn't work." I challenged.

"Edward, you're two seconds away from having my gun in your mouth. Don't test me right now." Carlisle glared at me with such authority that I had to prevent myself from cowering backwards.

"Bella is a civilian. I can't just snap my fingers and have her out of jail. That's not how it works in this case." He calmed down.

As much as I wanted to argue, I couldn't. I was in no position to say a word, because things were moving too quickly. It was times like these when I realized just how inexperienced I was. I had no idea what I would do in this situation. I needed to be more like my father and think things through. Unfortunately, all of my reasoning kind of went out the window when Bella was endangered.

"I'm sending Edward off in an hour. As for Bella, I think we'll take our chances. I don't want her being an international deserter. She doesn't need that," Carlisle said.

"And where exactly am I going?" I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Switzerland." Nicola rolled away from us towards the liquor cabinet. "You'll stay there until things have calmed down."

"How long does that take?"

"Maybe a year, could be longer." Carlisle answered. "And connections will be limited. I don't want to risk it. They'll be trying to find you."

"How will I know if Bella's safe?"

"She will be. You have to trust me Edward."

I heard the door open behind me, and then small arms wrapped around my body. "I don't want him to go, Carlisle," Esme said.

"We've been through this before, sweetheart. He has to go. We've been through this with Emmett before and we'll make it work."

"Why does he have to leave?"

"If they bring an investigation against him, they'll find something; maybe not soon, but they will. Once he's out of the county, everything he has will be wiped clean. No bank records, account information, identity. I can help him from afar, but not while he's still here."

"Why now?"

"Because they're ready to take you down. They have enough. First Bella, then you, and then they'll try to come for me. That's how it works. If we break the chain, they'll lose everything."

"We'll get Bella out of there and make it okay for you to come home quickly." She kissed the top of my head. "Stay safe."

"What about everyone else?" I asked.

"No one else is about to be knee deep in the middle of a federal shakedown."

"I can't do this. I don't feel right leaving Bella."

"You don't have a choice. There's a car waiting for you downstairs and you'll get to the airport within the hour."

Carlisle stood up and pulled the massive Eagle out of his front desk. It was the same one he had pointed at me on our trip to Russia, and the one that would have probably been stuck in my mouth if I hadn't shut up a couple minutes ago. I was still fucking scared of that thing. He popped the magazine in place, and then handed it to me.

I took it from him and put it in my belt, not knowing why he was giving it to me, but I didn't question him. Instead of a tearful goodbye, this was his way of telling me to be safe. Things like this were always tricky because communication was completely non-existent. I wouldn't be able to speak with anyone from my family for at least a year. I wouldn't be back to the states for a very long time—even if my name was cleared. I wouldn't need to pack anything because by the time I got to Switzerland, my accommodations would be set.

"You need to leave now." Nicola started pushing me out of the door. "You will only have one shot at this and if they wise up, you won't be able to get out of the country."

I didn't know what to say or what to do.

I just stood at the door, opening my mouth a couple of times to speak, but no words came out.

"We'll make sure Bella gets to you soon. Jenks is going to get her off, and then after I'm sure she's clear, I'll send her on," my father said and tightly smiled. "I promise."

"Just go, Edward." Esme was crying into his shoulder, and I wanted to give her a massive hug. I didn't, though.

I shut the door behind me and briskly walked down the stairs.

"Where are you off to?" Jasper poked his head around a corner up when I was about to leave the house.

"Switzerland," I answered, my hand on the doorknob.

"Oh." He came into the foyer, followed by Emmett and Alec.

"Have fun." Emmett nodded. He had been through this before about five years ago, so he knew how hard it was to leave everything at the drop of a hat. His separation was quick though. "Switzerland's nice."

"I…" I wanted to say something profound, but nothing was coming to mind. All this emotional bullshit was making my head hurt.

"Just take care of yourself." Jasper manfully hugged me. I kept my arms at my side.

"We'll keep Bella safe," Alec assured me. "Don't worry about anything."

"Should I write her a letter?" I asked them when he let me go.

"Why are you not gone, Edward?" Carlisle shouted from the stairs. "The plane is running and waiting."

"We'll take care of everything." Emmett started pushing me out of the door. "I'll call if we can."

"Alright." I gave them one final wave, and then started walking down the driveway, where a car was waiting at the gates.

"There you are. Finally." My father's most trusted associate stepped from behind the driver's side.

"Seth Clearwater. I didn't know you were still alive. I haven't heard from you in forever."

"You know, just keeping a low profile over there at the police office. I have to keep you informed all the fucking time. They almost caught me there for a second."

"How bad is it?" I asked.

"Truthfully, you're in a pile of shit. Black is going crazy and he's pulling out everything he's been gathering for the past couple of years. They actually have a good case against Bella but they'll let her go if you turn yourself in."

"Well then, let's do that. Take me to the police department."

"I can't do that, Edward." Seth crossed his arms. "I'm to get you to the airport and you're not arguing with me. Get in the car."

"Not unless we're going downtown. Fuck the airport."

Seth pulled out his gun, pointing straight at my knee. "I'll blow it out."

"Don't threaten me unless you actually plan on using that thing." I said menacingly. I knew he wouldn't hesitate to fuck me up because Carlisle had taught him well. Seth wasn't family but could have been since my father had trained him since he was young.

"You know I'll do it," Seth replied, just as darkly as I had. "Get in the car, Edward."

I ground my teeth together and ripped the backseat door open, plopping down in my seat. Benny was up in the passenger's side and looked incredibly deadly with his massive form hidden behind his sunglasses.

Once Seth was in the car, he sped off through the streets, not even bothering with the speed limit.

Seth Clearwater was my father's mentee. Besides his sons, Carlisle thought it prudent to have informants on the inside our enemies' camps. He had people burrowed everywhere in this city, especially in the police department. Come to think of it, someone should have told us that this was coming. Seth was simply the best at what he did, and he was the one who had been giving me all the inner workings throughout this past year.

The ride to the airport was silent. I wanted to pull out my phone and call Bella, but I couldn't. There was no way for me to get in contact with her. How was she doing? How was the baby doing?

Fuck, she was still pregnant. I kept forgetting that. As much as I hated what she was carrying, Bella's health was important to me and right now, that included the baby. Should I tell someone that she was pregnant? Then I realized that someone already knew.

"When were you going to tell me?" I asked Benny. I figured he knew what I was talking about.

"She begged me not to say anything," he replied. "I trusted her to say something."

"You didn't think to warn me?"

"I didn't think it would be appropriate to get involved in personal business, sir."

"What's going on?" Seth interjected.

"Bella's pregnant," I sighed.

"Holy shit," The car swerved wildly, and then corrected itself, "are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"How the hell did that conversation go?"

"We never really talked it out. There was too much yelling." I combed through my hair with my hand and tried not to think about how much of a dick I was last night to Bella. The final true conversation we had with each other was one of shouting.

"I think I can guess which side you were on."

"I never got a chance to really think about it."

Now that I was being shipped off, how was this going to affect us? I wouldn't see Bella for a couple months, at least. By that time, the baby would certainly be here to stay. Bella would never go with adoption. I didn't really have a choice anymore. It didn't matter what I thought now. I was having a child.

That thought struck me deep, but I didn't have a chance to dwell on it, because the car came to a halt a second later.

We were on the tarmac already and a private plane was geared up to go. It was smaller than the one I normally took, because I knew that Carlisle's planes were being tracked. This one probably belonged to one of his friends.

"Get out." Seth opened his door.

As soon as my feet hit the ground, shots rang out and echoed around us.

I ducked behind the car door and pulled out my father's gun, trying to survey the area. I stayed low and to the ground as bullets pelted the car, but they were bouncing off.

"What the fuck!" Seth was next to me, sporting his own gun. "This is so not cool."

"Who are they?" I asked and peeked over the hood at the three men on the roof of the hangar.

"Aro's guys. I would bet my life on it." Seth started firing above us, and I did the same.

We were no match being this far away and not having the proper weapons. I could see the stairs of the plane from where I was hunched over and judged the distance at about a couple of yards. I could easily make it if I ran, but I didn't want to. I had never backed down from a fight. Today was seemingly not my day. First, I had to pussy out and leave Bella behind—which I positively didn't want to do, and now bullets were raining down on me. I wasn't going to let them win.

I started shooting and missed a few times before I saw one the guys retreat. I think I got him, but couldn't be sure.

"Where's Benny?" Seth asked me as he reloaded.

A low whine came from the other side of the car, and I looked under it to see Benny lying in a pool of his own blood. His eyes were open, but unresponsive, and his breathing was too low to hold out much longer.

"Holy shit," I said in astonishment. I never thought I would see him in a weak position like that.

He was trying to push his gun towards me under the car, and I reached out to grab it from his bloodied hand. He sputtered up some more blood before he gave out completely. His chest stopped moving as his breaths were exhausted.

"You have to run for it," Seth shouted at me and pointed to the plane, which was still revving and ready. I could see the pilot beckoning me over.

"I'm not going to leave you here." I fired some more and realized that I was out of bullets. I tried to use Benny's, but he was also out.

"Just go. I can make it back. Once I know you're safe, I'll just take off."

"Are you sure?" I was running out of options. "I hate losing at this shit."

"You're not losing. Bella needs you alive and safe. Hurry up and go."

"I can't leave you here alone. You won't make it out."

"Yes, I will. I've got-" His words were cut off by the bullet that popped through the side of his head. He slumped forward and fell onto me, but I propped him up. The whole right side of his head was blown off, and blood was running over my hands, while seeping into my clothes.

It seemed like I was running out of words today, because once again, I couldn't think of anything to utter.

I guess now I didn't have a choice.

I let Seth's dead body slump to the floor and judged the distance to the plane again. I could make it. I took off my jacket so that I wasn't bothered with extra fabric and took a look over the car to see if the men were still there. It was quiet.

I darted over the tarmac, keeping my body low, and made it about halfway there before my leg erupted in pain. The bullet went straight through my left thigh and straight out the other side.

I didn't gurgle a word, taking my punishment in silence and held the wound as I made it that final distance onto the plane with a pronounced limp. The stairs shut quickly behind me.

"We're going to get you out of here." A man started tending to me. "I'm one of the pilots. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. It's just a flesh wound."

"How do I know you're not one of them?"

"Because I'm your fucking cousin, Edward."

"Oh." I vaguely recognized him. I thought I knew his face from Sunday dinners, but my head was hurting too much to know for sure.

"Just sit back and shut up. We'll make it to Switzerland in ten hours."

I was losing too much blood to reply. The darkness was coming quickly, and I couldn't fight it off.

"Who's Bella, sir? Why do you keep saying her name?" the pilot asked.

My head hit the floor with a thump as my thoughts became clouded over and the blackness consumed me.

* * *

**HOLY ENDING BATMAN**

**THAT WAS IT. THAT WAS THE LAST FULL CHAPTER. AND I KNOW EVERYONE'S GOING TO BE ASKING "HOW CAN YOU LEAVE IT LIKE THAT?" I KNOW, I KNOW. THERE ARE TWO EPIS THOUGH SO I WILL WRAP EVERYTHING UP. NO QUESTION WILL GO UNANSWERED. DON'T WORRY. THERE WILL BE A SEQUQEL OUT IN THE SPRING AND NOTHING WILL BE LEFT TO GUESS. NO CLIFFHANGER ENDING, MINUS THIS CHAPTER. HAHA. JUST WAIT IT OUT, I WILL ANSWER EVERYTHING. THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. SEQEUL WILL BE A WHOLE SPERATE STORY. **

**I WONT SAY MUCH IN REGARDS TO THE EPIS BUT THEY WILL BE UP NEXT WEEK. **

**THANKS FOR THE LOVE FROM EVERYONE. I COULDNT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU GUYS AND TO JENNY FOR THE BETA. **

**WE'RE DONE HERE. HOPE THE LAST CHAPTER LIVED UP TO THE REST. **

**EPIS NEXT WEEK!**


	46. Epilogue 1

Epilogue 1- A Single Rose

One Year Later

BELLA POV

**_"I was a queen, and you took away my crown; a wife, and you killed my husband; a mother, and you deprived me of my children. My blood alone remains: take it, but do not make me suffer long."-Marie Antoinette_**

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer

* * *

As I looked out of the small window in my room, I tried to decide what exactly I was going to do with my day. Considering that I was turning twenty today, I figured it should be something profound or exciting, but how much could you celebrate while in jail?

Well to be honest, I wasn't in jail; it was more of a daycare. I liked to call it "Martha Stewart" jail. You know, the kind of place where you're locked up but not really? It was a minimum-security facility located deep in the dark forests of southern Illinois. At least, I think I was still in Illinois. I hadn't brought myself to care in this past year. The only thing separating us from the real world was a fence. It wasn't very intimidating, either.

"You could go read," I spoke to myself, hoping that no one else was around. "No, you always read. That's all you do."

What would I have done if I weren't in jail? I'm sure Charlie would be making some awkward fatherly gesture, trying to show me that he cared and in turn, I would give him a big hug. That was the basic function of our relationship. Or maybe he would burn the eggs trying to make me my birthday breakfast. Renee would be planning an overzealous party that wouldn't ever come to fruition, because she'd get distracted halfway through and we'd end up having pizza, but that was okay too.

Last year, when I turned nineteen, was actually the first day of my lockup.

My trial had lasted around four months, and it was probably one of the worst experiences I had ever been through. There was so much I wanted to say but couldn't. I was put through the media circus, and no matter how much I tried to plead my innocence; there was nothing I could do. Jenks, the lawyer Carlisle gave me, was a genius. He was working his hardest, but I think there was already a preconceived notion that I was guilty. It wasn't like I was going to jail for murder; there were only small white-collar charges against me, but they still added up.

I was sentenced to spend two years in this place for illegal gambling and racketeering. I barely knew what that meant. During my trial, there were a whole lot of words thrown around that I didn't understand, and I just sat there after a while. It was painfully obvious during my arraignment that I wasn't going to get off. Jacob fucking Black was on a power trip from the time he arrested me, and I could have smacked the smirk off of his face. No one really believed that I was capable of all the crimes that I was up against, but I had a hard-ass judge who— I later found out— was trying to crack down on juvenile delinquency. Somehow he found me repulsive and decided to make me the example.

Two fucking years for gambling and racketeering. If I were older, I would have gotten more. Jenks actually had my sentence reduced, but I still had to serve my time.

I was walking a thin line during the trial, because how much could I really reveal without getting the Cullens in trouble? I should have said fuck them all and gotten myself off, but it wouldn't have worked anyway. Like I said, the judge and Black were out for my blood. Nothing I said could change their minds, but maybe I would have felt a hell of a lot better.

According to Emmett, it was all for Edward. That's who Jacob wanted, and I was the bargaining chip. They expected him to come for me and when he didn't, they were kind of at a loss of what to do. They figured they might as well prosecute me while I was available.

I was abandoned—by everyone. Literally everyone. Sure, Carlisle paid for Jenks and the whole family sat through my trial with stoic faces, but what help did that do me in here? Once Charlie heard about the shit I was in, like I suspected he would, he cursed me out over the phone, and even made a trip to Chicago to yell at me face-to-face. He tried to use his connections to get me off, but it didn't help. At least I had him there for a couple weeks.

There wasn't much he could do so Charlie went back to his life in Forks, and I was left here. I hadn't talked to my mother in about a year; I didn't know why. She just never called me, and I never called her.

My face was splashed across papers and there were even news segments about me, so I didn't blame my parents for being embarrassed. What they didn't understand was that I did nothing wrong. Of course, I had a criminal boyfriend and probably knew more than I should, but that couldn't be helped. Those charges against me were false, and I think everyone knew it.

Surprisingly, none of that mattered to me. Every single person I knew could abandon me, but the one person I wanted to see just wasn't there.

Edward had left. He left me here. I knew why—Carlisle explained it to me—but it still hurt. Why wouldn't he fight for me? Wasn't there something he could have done? Wasn't there a plan for something like this? How could he just leave me here? I wished that I had been smarter about everything. I felt like such a naive little girl and my self-sacrificing, stupid ass just let myself get martyred for the cause.

I hadn't talked to Edward or heard a peep from him in over a year, and my heart hurt every single day. I loved him; I couldn't get over that, but I wanted to hate him with a fiery passion. There were so many things that I could scream and just rip him a new asshole, but where was he?

"Bella, you have a bunch of gifts." Someone poked their head in my door.

"Oh?" I got up from my seat.

"You sure do. Happy Birthday." She handed me a couple of gift-wrapped presents. I didn't know her name, but she was a neighbor. I hadn't bothered to make friends this past year.

"Thank you." I sat on my bed and tried to see sent them. They were all slightly opened from being checked by the mail people. "I'm guessing they all passed inspection?"

"They sure did." She smiled. "Someone just told me to bring them up since I was already in the mail room."

"Well, thank you."

"No problem."

I looked around my bed at the presents, not wanting to open them, because I was already hating this day and a gift wouldn't make it any better.

Thankfully, I wasn't totally alone in all of this. Everyone visited me, and Esme even made a schedule so that I knew when they were coming. They had to visit in shifts, but five-minute segments were better than nothing. Every time I spoke with Carlisle, I asked how Edward was doing. He would never answer, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get a single word out of him. I don't even think he knew where Edward was. The firestorm hadn't cooled, though.

Black was still trying to find him, and I couldn't understand why Edward just couldn't come home. I wanted him here. As much as I hated and cried over him, I still wanted him here.

I was such an emotional mess.

I neatly arranged my gifts on the tiny desk in my small room and just lied on my bed, looking up at the ceiling.

Unconsciously, my hand drifted down and started rubbing circles over my now flat stomach. It had never gotten the chance to become swollen. A tear slipped down my cheek, and I wiped it away angrily. I promised myself that I wasn't going to cry anymore over this.

My baby was gone. I had never been given the opportunity to hold my little boy or girl; and it felt like a piece of me would forever be missing. That was two pieces gone now: Edward and our child.

It happened about a month after I was arrested. I just woke up one night with a shooting pain in my lower stomach and the next thing I knew, I was bleeding out. The doctors said I had lost the baby. I cried for days and wouldn't even eat, because I didn't feel like I should. No one could explain it to me. The doctor told me simply, "These things just happen".

Maybe it was stress or from me not taking care of myself? I didn't know, but it still hurt every time I even thought about my lost child. It was hard to love something that you had never met. Although, I was sure some women have had it worse than me, so I tried to put it in perspective. It had taken me a very long time and many late nights of thinking to finally understand that bad things just happen to good people.

When I was first arrested, the doctors gave me a physical, and once they found out I was pregnant, I begged them not to say anything. It was put in my file that I was carrying a child, and I figured Carlisle knew, but he never questioned me. The doctors were actually very nice about it and made sure to take good care of me, but none of that helped.

I lost the baby when I was three and a half months along. Besides the physicians, Edward and myself, no one knew I was pregnant. Sometimes I felt that it was better that way. Esme didn't have to cry over losing her first grandchild, and I didn't have to explain things to anyone.

Why didn't I tell my precious secret? I was embarrassed and ashamed. I felt like such a failure, and with all the things going on with me being put in jail, I didn't see the need to bother anyone else with more drama. I know it was stupid, but my mouth just wouldn't say the words. On some level, I realized that everyone deserved to know. I'm sure they would want to, but what could I tell them now? It was too late.

It didn't even matter now that I hadn't said anything, because the topic was moot. I hadn't even told Jenks when he was arguing my case.

I guessed Edward got his wish. We didn't have a child so now our argument didn't matter anymore. What would I have done anyway? Did I really expect to give birth and raise a baby while in jail? It still hurt, though. There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't think about my little boy or girl.

Over the past year, I had spent a lot of nights just thinking about what I would have done that last day if I hadn't gotten arrested. Now that I looked back on it, it was stupid of me to try and change Edward's mind about the baby. He didn't want it and I already knew that. My only other option was to just leave him. I would have gone back to the penthouse, kicked him in the balls, and got my stuff. That was easier said than done, but I would have left for my child.

I wiped my damp cheeks again.

"Stop it, Bella." I sat up in bed and shook my head to clear it.

The calendar on my wall was mocking me, and I guessed I should start counting down the days until I was free from this place. It wasn't that I was in hell or anything; it was just incredibly boring. There was literally nothing to do. I sat in jail with white-collar criminals who wouldn't hurt a fly, so no one felt the need to keep us under strict supervision. The woman across the hall from me was in here because she had embezzled money from her boss. She was also eighty, so who knew how much longer she was going to last.

The days were incredibly long and the nights were too short. I wanted to stay asleep and dream, but when the sun rose I would just sit here until I could sleep again. I would read and even tried art just for something to do. Besides that, I stayed to myself and barely uttered a word.

_Just eight more months. _

"Bella, I have more gifts for you." Someone knocked on my door. This time it was one of the guys from the mailroom.

"Really? What are they this time?"

"They're roses. I just wanted to see if you were going to keep these this time since it is your birthday and all."

"Who are they from?" I asked, even though I already knew.

"I don't know. There's never a card with these things. Do you want them?"

Roses. Damn it all to hell.

Even though I hadn't spoken to him in a year, Edward still found ways to contact me. His stupid fucking flowers were arriving from somewhere mysterious, never with a note or address. The flowers were always red roses and nothing else. They would just show up out of thin air. I usually didn't even want them. On the occasions that I was feeling fairly happy, I would just sniff the petals before throwing them away.

Did he think he could buy me off with flowers? Bullshit. Although, on some level, it did show that he was still thinking about me. If only I could get him out of my mind, then I could let my frustrations go. But he had this hold on me that was unbreakable. I still didn't have to like his gifts, though.

"How many are there?" I sighed.

"A hell of a lot," he chuckled.

"Can I just have one?"

"One bushel?"

"No, just one rose." I got off of the bed and went to the door. I plucked a flower out of the vase he was carrying.

"What do you want us to do with these?"

"You can keep them if you want." I smelled the rose, which was fragrant and completely overpowering, but comforting. I had to smile.

Was this his way of saying sorry? It might be. Was I ready to forgive him? Probably not.

I would get a bushel of roses about once a week, sometimes more. They all came ambiguously, but I knew they were from him. If I tried hard enough, I could even smell him on the petals. I was probably crazy, but it made sense to me.

It was massively ironic at how each of my birthdays for the past couple of years had revolved around Edward and me. The first time I ever met him was on my eighteenth; on my nineteenth, I was thrown in jail because of him, and here I sat on my twentieth, receiving roses from him.

_Happy birthday, Bella. _

The week passed like it always did, slow and unexciting.

The single rose was drying out on my windowsill since I planned on keeping it. I didn't know why, but I felt like I needed to have something to show me that he cared. If it wasn't his words, then it was his actions. Of course, going to jail for Edward wasn't equal to a rose, but it was a small gesture that meant a lot to me.

But I was still pissed. If I ever saw the man again, I would slap the shit out of him.

Honestly, I was trying not to think about what my future held after I got out of here. Charlie probably wouldn't let me come back, and it wasn't as if I had money to go to school. Renee was out as well. I wasn't actually even sure she knew what was going on. I hadn't talked to her, and I doubt Charlie explained things. I didn't want to ask Carlisle for anything, either. Every time he visited, he would apologize profusely for not being able to do more. I couldn't blame him. From the time I got arrested, his hands were tied behind his back. There was only so much he could do. He worked himself ragged trying to get my record expunged, but my future was set. He did what he had to do for his family. He included me in that rank; he told me all the time. I was thankful that I at least had him to help me through this.

Today was just like any other day. I was sitting on my bed with a tattered copy of Jane Eyre in my hands when there was a small knock on my door.

"Bella, you have company," a guard said.

I climbed off of the bed and shuffled through my room. I went into the hallway, trying to think if someone was supposed to visit today. I was led to the meeting rooms, which just held circular tables with chairs, and I sat to wait.

I sat there for about five minutes and was debating on whether I should stay or not.

"Hello, Bella," a deep voice said from behind me.

"Please tell me you're not here to pour salt in my wounds."

Embry Call sat opposite me and fixed his jacket. Something about his face was different. He looked… old and stressed. "I'm here for other reasons."

"I have nothing to say to you." I turned my head away from him.

Throughout my arrest and subsequent trial, I refused to speak to Jacob Black. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction on putting me in jail. Embry was the only one I would talk to, and we had created somewhat of a mutual hatred for each other. It didn't really matter through. Everyone came out on top except me. Black even got a fucking promotion.

"Bella, I know that you think I'm a dick, but I was doing my job," Embry said sternly.

"You're no better than any other criminal out there," I whispered lowly. "You're a dirty cop just like Jacob."

"Don't you dare compare me to Jacob," he spat. "I like the guy, but his police methods and questionable. I follow the letter of the law."

"Why are you here? Just leave me alone and let me do my time."

"I came with bad news." He sighed and pulled a bag out of his jacket pocket. He hesitated for a second before pushing it across the table towards me.

"What is this?"

"Open it," he instructed.

I glared at him for a second before snatching the small bag up and peeking inside. There was a small flash of silver as I pulled the gigantic watch out, and I immediately recognized it. This was the only watch Edward ever wore, and it was a small symbol of what I missed for over a year.

"How… how did you get this?" I stammered.

"Before I say anything, I need you to understand that I tried everything I could to help…"

"What are you talking about?"

"I got word that Edward was coming back into the country last week."

My heart started to beat furiously as all these unanswered questions popped into my head.

"Wait, where was he?" I asked. My voice was almost non-existent.

"I don't know. I was just informed that he was coming back… for you."

"For me?"

"From what I could gather, he wanted to break you out or something heroic like that. Who knows what's going through that man's mind half the time. He was probably still pissed about how things played out and Edward wanted to fight for you. That's the information I got."

"Well, where is he? What happened?"

Embry exhaled heavily. "There was… a complication when he got into the city. He'd He was ambushed."

"What do you mean? I'm confused."

"There was a shootout. Police were there, Aro's men were there, Shinobu's men were there; basically everyone within a fifty mile radius with a gun was waiting for him."

Now my heart was stampeding. "Please tell me he's all right," I said hopefully.

"Bella, you know Edward. Once he was threatened, he tried to bulldoze his way out and started firing. He wasn't really a match for everyone and… he didn't make it."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"He didn't make it," Embry repeated. "He took a couple bullets to the head and to the chest."

My mouth was completely dry, and my head was starting to throb like it was being pounded by a jackhammer.

"I… I don't understand. What does that mean?" I asked.

"He's dead, Bella," Embry said with finality. "Edward's dead."

Edward Cullen—_my _Edward Cullen—couldn't be dead. It wasn't plausible. Not once could I remember him being feeble. Not even when we dealt with his heart attack was he in a position of weakness. Now he was dead? I wouldn't believe it.

"No, that's not possible. You have the wrong guy. Edward can't die." My voice cracked. "You're wrong."

"I saw it with my own eyes. I was there."

"You killed him." I reached across the table and just hit Embry in the face.

He stilled my hand with a tight grasp. "I was trying to protect him. I was going to bring him in. You might not believe me, but I needed him alive."

"You and Jacob were working together this whole time. I don't believe you."

"I told you that I haven't worked with Jacob in a long time. Not since your trial."

"You're lying. I know you are."

"Bella, I came here to tell you before you heard it from someone else."

"I don't believe you." I shot up from my seat and ran out of the room before I could start crying in front of the liar, Embry Call.

I made it halfway back before I collapsed on the floor and slid down the wall as sobs racked my body.

As much as I wanted to question everything I was told, I knew it was true. I could sense it and there was no way to explain the feelings that were coursing through my body, but I suddenly felt like I wasn't even really here anymore.

It didn't matter that Edward and I weren't "together", I just needed him to be safe.

The earth felt like it had been shattered under my feet and I suddenly forgot how to breathe. Was he gone? Something inside of me said that he was and I didn't know how to deal with it. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to break something and…could it really be true?

_Edward was dead. _

Just saying that didn't seem right. As much as I wanted to deny the truth, I felt something deep inside of me that was pulling at the last strand of my sanity.

I was over trying to stop the sobs and just let them consume me fully.

It wasn't long before I felt warm arms wrap around me. I wanted to push them off, but I didn't even have the strength to do that.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I never meant for you to go through this." Embry's voice was, for the first time since I had met him, comforting.

I think I passed out, but couldn't be sure. I just know that I woke up the next day in my bed.

All the lies were confirmed when I got the morning's paper. There was a massive front page story about how Edward Cullen had been found dead after an "isolated incident" outside of Chicago. There were interviews and pictures and police statements and autopsy reports and… it was all true.

* * *

**Epilogue 2 posts on Friday**

Edward Cullen was dead.


	47. Epilogue 2

Epilogue 2-Always and Forever

One Year Later

BELLA POV

"_**Blood may be thicker than water, but love is thicker than anything."- Goldie Nash**_

All things Twilight related belong to Stephanie Meyer._**  
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"Isabella Swan," there was a knock on my door, "it's time to check out. The ink on all the papers is dry."

"All packed and ready." I threw my backpack over my shoulder, which consisted of nothing more than a couple books. I reveled the feeling of jeans on my body after two years in an ugly, gray jumpsuit.

"We sure are going to miss you around here." The guard led me down the hall, away from the room that had been my sanctuary for my time here. "You were the only one who was actually nice."

"I'm going to miss you guys too," I lied.

"What are you going to do now that you're a free woman?"

"I honestly have no idea."

I didn't know what was available at the moment. I had no job prospects, and no money whatsoever. Thankfully, I wasn't completely down and out. I had gotten the chance to complete my upper education while in lockup. I filled my time with courses and finished a couple years of schooling easily within just two. I now had a degree in literature, which didn't really help me in the real world, but at least it was something. Still, I was fucked big time. I just wanted to make it outside, and then I would take it from there.

"Just make sure you stay away from that family. They're no good for you," he warned.

"I'll try," I lied again. The Cullens were the only family that I had left. I was still pissed at them somewhat, and I had a few things to say before everything was peaches and roses again. I didn't think we would ever truly get back there, though.

"Okay, well, this is where I leave you. Have fun." He waved to me and turned back around.

I went inside of a room with a singular table and sat in one of the two chairs to wait. This was usually the place where you came to get your stuff when they let you leave. When I was arrested, I didn't have anything, so I didn't particularly know what I was doing here. Couldn't they just let me go already?

I checked the watch on my wrist—Edward's massive watch—and a small smile crept onto my lips at the thought of him wearing it. I put my arm down when it started to become heavy from looking at the timepiece for too long.

I didn't cry anymore, over Edward or our child. I didn't have any more tears to give. The past year had been rough. I had literally cried myself dry, and I was surprised that my eyes hadn't fallen out. Now it didn't matter how I felt about him anymore; he was gone and would never hear it. I loved and I cared for Edward, although, I was still mad as hell. If only I had one last chance to at least talk to him. I never got that closure, which I desperately longed for.

He was gone, and he was never coming back.

Over the past eight months, things began to surface about Edward's death that made it sound like a bloodbath. It was all Aro's doing. He'd heard of Edward's return and took it upon himself to get vengeance for his sons. In the papers, Edward was revered and seen as more of a hero, which I was happy about. His name wasn't slandered, and I didn't have to read about all the bad things he had done. I gathered almost every article I could get my hands on, because I just wanted to read about him. It was the only way I could feel close to him again.

The flowers stopped coming—just another reminder that Edward was gone—and the family visits became fewer, but I still saw Esme from time to time. She looked nothing like her old self. I had never seen her in distress and after Edward died, she just looked sick. It was as if the life had been sucked out of her. Carlisle was almost the same way, but hid it well. The family was just now getting over everything, although, as I heard, their standing in the underground world hadn't diminished one bit. They were still feared and still on top, which I assume irked Aro immensely.

"Isabella Swan, you just have one thing," a soft voice said from the door.

"I don't remember having anything when I came." I stood up.

She handed me a small manila envelope, and I opened it. I tipped it over, and a ring fell out. It was shining silver with a nice diamond on top. It was the same ring that Edward had brought me from Maine; the last thing I ever got from him.

"It's very pretty," she said.

"Thank you," I sighed, slipping the ring onto the fourth finger on my left hand. I was determined not to cry when I saw it there. "Can I leave now?"

"You sure can. Do you have a ride? You can't leave without a ride."

"I have one." I nodded and slipped past her. Carlisle had made sure to send someone over so that I didn't have to stay here any longer than necessary.

"Well then, we'll be seeing you."

"I hope not." I waved and strode out of the doors.

I stood on the stone steps of the minimum-security prison and took a deep breath. The July air was still hot, but not unpleasant. It wasn't as if I hadn't been outside during my stay, but this was a new type of freedom, which I would never take for granted again.

I walked down the long, winding road and towards the gates, which opened for me.

"Looks, like the criminal has sprung the coop," a deep voice said. He was leaning on the side of a black Mercedes with sunglasses. His strong shoulders made him look menacing, but I knew there was a heart of gold inside.

I ran and wrapped my arms around Alec's neck as I was lifted off of the ground. He now stood well above me and was probably over six feet.

"They sent you to get me?" I clung to him tighter.

"I volunteered," he chuckled lowly.

"I can't believe it. You haven't come to visit me in a year." I hit his arm when he put me down. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I was busy." He nursed the spot. "Ouch, that hurt."

"You deserve it." I examined him up and down. "Oh my God, look at you. You're massive."

He wasn't Emmett's size, but it was obvious that Alec had gone through and taken well to puberty. His muscles were extremely defined, and he looked like a man, not like the little boy I remember. His dark hair was short but still covered his deep blue eyes.

"And what's this?" I ran my hand over his stubbly jaw where small whiskers were peeking out.

"I know, cool, right?" He smirked. "And I shaved last night."

"You're all grown up. What happen to my little Alec?"

"Don't get teary-eyed on me. We have a long trip ahead." He picked my backpack up and threw it over his shoulder.

"Where are we going?" I went around to the passenger's side of the car.

"Don't start with the questions. Just let me drive."

"And you're driving?" I hadn't even realized as I sat in the plush leather of the seat. He was sixteen now, so I guess it was normal, but I never thought I'd see the day when he was behind the wheel of a car. "Who taught you?"

"Emmett tried, but I ended up teaching myself. He has no idea what he's talking about, by the way. I think he needs to take some kind of class." Alec started the car, and it roared to life.

"Where are we going?" I asked again, hoping he would tell me this time.

"I said I wasn't answering that." He easily pulled out of the driveway and maneuvered onto the road.

"How are things back home?"

Alec sighed, "Tough. Ma won't come out of her room most days. I really think she's sick. Carlisle doesn't know what to do, but she's starting to get better. Emmett's busy and Jasper's keeping an eye on me, so we all have our jobs. Ma obviously isn't herself anymore."

"It must be tough to lose a child," I said without even thinking about it. My chest started to contract and I had to push the pain out. I wasn't going to cry, not now. I couldn't think about that. I had trained myself to keep the hurt at bay.

"She's seeing a therapist and everything."

"How are you boys doing?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. It was so weird at first; going from four to three. I think we're just getting over it. How are you doing?"

"I cried for months." I looked out of the window and remembered the horrible time I had with Edward's death. "I felt so weak. I wanted to tell him so many things, but I never got the chance."

"I see your ring." He pointed to my left hand. "He would want it there."

"No, he wouldn't." I shook my head.

"Edward loved you, Bella. As much shit as he talked about not wanting to get married and not having a family, I think he would have gone through with it for you."

Obviously, Alec didn't know about the major argument Edward and I had just before everything went downhill.

"I miss him," I thought out loud.

"We all miss him."

The ride was silent after that. I wanted to go to sleep, but figured I should soak up the bright sun. I watched the trees pass us by for about an hour until the car started to slow.

"Where are we?" I sat up in my seat.

"Private airport," Alec answered simply and turned the car onto the tarmac.

"Why?"

"Because we're leaving." He reached into the backseat and got my bag. "Let's go." He jumped out of the car.

"Wait, I can't leave. Aren't I on probation or something?" I quickly ran after him and had to shout over the whirl of a plane engine.

"I don't know. Do I look like a lawyer? Just get on the plane."

It was hard for me to just trust a Cullen after everything I had been put through, but what else was I going to do? It wasn't like I could run to Daddy and make my life miraculously go back to normal.

I glared at Alec inquisitively for a couple of seconds. "Are you kidnapping me?"

"Yes." He started to climb the descended steps. "I'm leaving you here if you don't hurry up."

I ground my teeth together and went up after him. The plane was nice and expensive, just like the Cullens wanted it. There was no one inside, but I could hear the voice of the pilot from up front. Alec went to tell him that we were ready to leave, and the stairs folded shut.

"I don't like this." I sat in a seat next to him.

"I promise everything's going to be all right. Oh, and by the way, we're not to be going home for a while."

"So you _are _kidnapping me. Where the hell are we going?"

"I can't tell you that, but if you want to stay here, now's the time to say so."

I debated on what to do, but just decided to stay put. It was a mixture of curiosity and lack of enthusiasm over my present situation in life. I theorized that he couldn't be taking me anywhere bad.

"This is very fishy." I sat back and crossed my arms as the plane took off.

I tried to stay awake so that I could scope out what exactly I was doing on this adventure, but my eyes wouldn't stay open after the third hour. The rumble from the plane engine put me to sleep quickly, and I dreamed about God knows what. Most of my dreams nowadays weren't memorable.

"Bella, time to wake up." I was softly nudged.

"No." I turned away.

"Bella, I mean it. The plane can't stay on the ground very long," Alec's deep voice filled my head, "and you need to change."

"Change?" I opened my eyes. His jeans and tee shirt from before were replaced with a light blue button up and white board shorts. "Are you going swimming?"

"No, but it's hot as hell out there. Go change." He pulled me from my seat and shoved me into the back of the plane.

I went into the bathroom and stripped out of my clothes, putting on the jean shorts and green tank top that were provided for me. I was still confused as hell when I came back out, trying to stumble into my sneakers.

"Where exactly are we?" I asked as the stairs came undone.

"Brazil." Alec smiled and went outside.

"Brazil?" I followed him. "Are you serious? We can't go to Brazil."

"Why not?" He shrugged. "It's awesome here."

"I can't believe this." I grumbled my way to a car that was waiting, and Alec took the driver's seat.

I saw signs that said 'Rio' when we were pulling out of the private airport and large buildings started to surround us on all sides as we went deeper into the city. I had no idea what the hell was going on, but Alec seemed confident and didn't question anything.

"How the hell did we get out of the country? Aren't they following you?" I asked, trying to take my mind off of the uneasiness that I was feeling. I should be excited since this was the first time I had ever been out of the county and to Brazil, no less, but I was too anxious.

"We're all good. We have clearance."

"What does that mean?"

"Stop asking questions." He rolled his eyes. "I forgot how annoying you were."

"Well, maybe I wouldn't be if I had some answers."

The car started going through the streets, and I noticed that the tall skyscrapers thinned as we reached the far eastern side of the city.

"Alright, time to get out." Alec shut off the car when we reached the docks.

"Now a boat?" At this point, I was just going with the flow.

"I don't want to hear it. Just get on." He left the car right where it was and walked through the rows of bobbing ships in the harbor. I followed with my mouth shut.

We reached a small boat at the edge, which was built for speed and not luxury since it only sat two. It looked kind of like a bullet. Alec helped me down, and then started the boat thunderously.

He masterfully took off, not even bothering to check a manual or directions, which made me curious as to how many times he had done this. I, for one, had never heard of him driving a speedboat, but he was doing well. I still gripped the side with white knuckles as he ripped through the waves. Like his brothers, Alec had a proclivity for going fast. I'm sure there was some sort of speed laws that he was breaking.

Even at our rapid pace, the boat trip still took about forty minutes. It was light enough to see the massive island where Alec was headed. Even though I was confused out of my mind, I had to admit that the scenery was gorgeous. The blue water surrounded us everywhere, and if we weren't going so fast, I bet I could see straight down to the bottom. The island in the distance was mountainous and green foliage covered every hillside.

"What exactly is that?" I asked him over the hum of the engine.

"Isle Esme."

"As in... an island for Esme?"

"Yup, Carlisle brought it for her years ago. He said they haven't been back for a while, though. It's just been sitting here."

I was at a loss of what to say. I had never been around people who had enough money to buy someone their own island. I didn't even think the Cullens were that rich, but I had obviously misjudged their wealth even after all these years.

We neared the island and I saw a dock, but Alec just slowed the boat in the water and let it coast slowly. It stopped on the beach, still in the water, but not that far from the sand.

"Alright, final leg of the trip. Everybody out." Alec took off his shoes and jumped over the side of the boat, landing in the water with a splash. The waves only came up to his knees since he was so tall.

"Are there jellyfish in there?" I looked into the water, remembering the now infamous trip to Miami two years ago. It was disgusting at the time, but it was pretty hilarious now. Jasper and I laughed about it on occasion.

"I'll carry you." Alec held out his arms.

"I can walk." I stood up in the boat and of course my clumsy ass almost fell overboard, but Alec caught me and lifted me up over his shoulder.

"That was easy." He started sloshing through the water, spraying it in my face.

"I'm not going to win this, am I?" I felt the blood rushing to my head from being upside down.

"Nope." He continued to walk through the waves, and suddenly, the water was replaced by sand.

He carried me all the way up the beach, and I couldn't really see where we were going because my head was bobbing against Alec's back. I think I stayed that way for about ten minutes, but it could have been longer.

"This is getting ridiculous. I need some answers." I slapped his butt. "Tell me where we're going."

"Calm down there, Bella. You can't tame the stallion once he's free."

"Wow, that sounded incredibly Emmett-like."

"Of course it did," he chuckled.

He finally set me down and my feet sank lightly into the sand. I noticed that we were in front of a massive beach house. It had giant windows and from the outside, it looked like there must have been at least three floors. I thought I was staring at a postcard with palm trees flanking the path that led up to the house.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Our new place."

"I don't understand."

"Did jail make you stupid?" he groaned. "I've kidnapped you and now we're going to be living here for a while. You don't have anything better to do." We started to walk up the path. "No one knows about this island besides Carlisle."

"What about Charlie? I have to call him at least."

"No can do, Bella-roo." He opened the door to the house, and we went in.

It was all very beachy—if that made sense—with plush white furniture, hardwood floors, open windows, and a rustic feel.

"Come on." He ushered me inside.

"I didn't even get a choice in this?"

"Not really. What else did you expect to do?"

"I… I don't know, but Brazil wasn't on my list for my permanent destination."

"Stop with the questions."

"What the hell is going on?" I stood still, crossing my arms. "I don't like this one bit."

"Too bad. You're here, and you'll like it." Alec took my hand and led me up the stairs quickly to the second floor. He pushed me into a room. "I'll be right back."

I noticed that I was in a colossal library. The stacks went up to the ceiling and there was even stairs to another floor. The room looked totally different from the rest of the house, and I thought I was in an antique castle or something.

"Wow." I looked around, open-mouthed and in amazement.

I wondered where exactly the hell I was. Brazil, for sure, but that was it. I didn't even really know if this was Carlisle's house, but it was obvious that someone was living here. I could tell just from walking through. And what was with Alec? He was taking this very well for a guy who just picked up and left his home. So many questions with no answers; that had become my life lately.

I went over to the dark, wooden desk in front of the open window and picked up the copy of _Wuthering Heights._ It was one of those old copies and probably a first edition. The computer was warm, so someone must have just been using it.

I turned the book over in my hands, trying to see who it belonged to, but there wasn't a name or anything like that.

"I never understood why you liked that book. It's so dark," a husky voice said from across the room.

I dropped the book from my hands and it landed with a thud by the time I turned around.

I was staring at a ghost; I must have been, because if I wasn't, then jail had made me go insane.

Edward was standing in the doorway, the perfect picture of masculine beauty. The white shirt on his body was unbuttoned all the way, showing off a tight set of muscles that were rolling underneath tanned skin. The bronze hair that I remembered was a little lighter now with more blonde in it and still wildly tamed, but his face was the same; strong, defined, chiseled and clean-cut.

"Hello, Bella," he said, and the grin that I had dreamed about creased his lips.

My body was shaking so badly that I couldn't see straight. I backed into the far wall. "Who the hell are you?"

He sauntered into the room further, and I wanted to jump out of the window every time he took another step. The man got so close to me that I could smell his scent, and I shut my eyes, wishing that I would wake up from this nightmare.

"You look exactly the same." I felt a warm hand cup my cheek. "I hoped you would."

"Stop doing this. You're not real; you can't be." I shook my head.

"Bella, open your eyes."

"No, you can't do this to me. You're dead." I shoved him hard in the chest, but I wanted to hold him. "You're not Edward!"

"I am."

"You're fucking dead. Just stay dead. I know how to deal with it now."

I opened my eyes, and the man had the nerve to still have that smirk on his face.

I couldn't control myself as my hand just slapped the shit out of him. Skin met skin and a loud sound echoed off of the walls. I needed that sound to make sure this wasn't my imagination. Maybe I was trying to see if he was real, or maybe I just need to get out some frustration, but I did it again. My frustrations would never be truly gone, but with each slap, they got better.

After the fifth hard slap to the face, the man's cheeks were red, and his hair was falling into his face.

"Edward's dead." My voice cracked.

"I'm right here, Bella." The man's deep voice was remorseful and sad, but firm.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, I swear to God if that's you, I'm going to shoot you myself."

"It's really me." He tentatively moved forward. "All I can say is that I'm sorry."

He opened his mouth to continue, but I had a few things I wanted to shout first.

"Is that all you have to say to me?" I pushed him. "You left me. You left me to rot for two years and all you have to say is that you're 'sorry'?"

"I…"

"No, you don't get to speak. How could you do that to me!" My throat was already hurting from the screaming and it was only going to get worse, "I thought you were supposed to fight for me or do something. I got no note, not one call, or anything!" I slapped him again, because I now had no control over my rage.

"I couldn't." Edward didn't stop my hand. "He wouldn't let me."

"He?"

"Carlisle."

"That's not an excuse. You sent me fucking flowers for a year and you think that's all I needed from you? I wanted to know where you were and how you were doing. I wanted you…there for me. No one told me anything. I took the fall for you, Edward, and then you left me in the cold! I lost everything because of you. I kept your fucking secrets and what did I get? Nothing!"

He didn't say anything, and I suspected that he was waiting for me to continue, but my breathing was coming too quickly to speak coherently.

"I didn't want to leave you. I swear, but things happened so fast that I couldn't stop them, and then I couldn't come back to get you when I realized you're weren't going to get off. I fought with him for a year to let me come back."

"So while you were sitting here in Brazil, you left me by myself in jail?" I asked the obvious, just to clarify, "I have no family, I don't have the education that I should. I lost…everything."

Of course I was somewhat overdramatizing, but the gist of it was there. If he thought that this "rise from the dead" solved everything, he was in for a world of hurt.

"Do you think it's been easy for me? I went crazy because there was nothing I could do." If I didn't believe this man was Edward before, I couldn't deny it when he ran his hand through his hair and tugged. "If there was anything I could have done, I would have."

I slapped him again, just because I could and debated on whether I should knee him in the balls. I didn't so that he could keep some manhood about him.

"Why are you alive?" I spat.

"It was all fake. That whole shootout was staged by Carlisle. Aro and Black were breathing down my neck, trying to find me, and I had to go further underground. I moved here from Switzerland. Carlisle found a decoy and paid him to take the fall for me." He explained quickly.

"He paid a man to get shot for you?"

"That's how it works, Bella; that's how it's always worked in situations like these. I wanted to tell you so badly, and I hoped that you didn't hate me for this, but it had to be done."

"I cried over you." I was determined not to let the tears fall. "No one told me a thing, and I was sick to my stomach for a full year because I thought you were dead; not that I care, because I'm still pissed at you. And what about your mother? Did you tell her?"

"No, no one knows except you, Carlisle, and Alec. Everyone else thinks I'm dead. That's the way it has to be."

I left his side and darted towards the large desk by the window. I started pulling out drawers haphazardly and shuffled papers around.

"What are you doing?" He asked me.

"Looking for a gun. I'm going to shoot you and then I'm going to go downstairs and shoot Alec and then I'm going to get on a plane to shoot Carlisle. You all deserve to fucking die."

My hands found the metal of a large pistol, and I cocked the thing easily. It was heavy, and I noticed it as the same gold one that Edward loved. I pointed it straight at his chest across the room.

"Are you going to kill me?" Edward raised his eyebrow.

"Yes," I said with determination.

"Bella, listen to me. I know you're hurt, but I brought you here to ask for your forgiveness."

"You think I can forgive you after everything you did?"

"I will beg you if that's what you want." His voice almost cracked. "I will crawl for forgiveness."

I pulled the trigger and even though my arm blasted backwards, I held the gun up straight. I had been to the shooting range enough times in the past—with Edward ironically— to know how to handle it.

He didn't flinch at the bullet and, of course, it didn't strike him like I wanted, but it got my point across. The wall behind him now had a huge hole in it.

"I'm sorry, Bella." Edward was walking towards me slowly, seemingly not afraid of the firearm I had in my hand.

"I don't care. I don't want to hear you apologies." I was shaking.

The barrel of the gun was now pressed up against the flesh of his chest as he made the final steps forward. For a second, I figured that a bullet wouldn't hurt him. The muscles were rock solid, so if even I did shoot him, it wouldn't have done any good.

Edward's hands took the gun away from me, breaking it apart easily and throwing it behind him.

"You're disgusting. Esme is at home and can barely move because she thinks she lost a son and you can't tell her that you're here, or _me_ for that matter? After all the shit we've been through, I can't get a fucking phone call? Did you think I would rat you out?"

"Of course not. Everyone needs to think I'm dead; you're not even supposed to be here. I sent Alec for you before Carlisle got a chance to sweep you up."

"Alec." I became furious with him as well, "He knew you were here from the start and he couldn't say anything?"

"He's a good actor. I told him that he had to keep quiet until you got here."

"I fucking hate you. I almost can't even look at you."

Edward hung his head. "I needed to see you. I can't just sit here anymore and think about talking to you or seeing you or… kissing you. I need you here with me."

"What if I don't want to be here?" I felt a warm tear streak down my face.

"Bella, I'm sorry for everything I put you through and not just in this past year, but before that. I never meant for this to be your life and…"

"Just stop talking." I held my head, which was starting to hurt. "I can't take this anymore."

"Do you still you love me?"

"Is that what you have to ask me after two years?"

"Yes, that's all I need to know. You can go back to Forks or Chicago or wherever; I don't care as long as you answer that question." He took my hands out of my hair and held them. "Do you still love me?"

"I don't know." I was crying pretty badly by this point. "I can't answer that."

"Why not?"

"Because you hurt me so badly, Edward. I haven't talked to you in years, and then you just show up out of the blue? Do you know how… crazy this is? I can't handle it."

"I wanted to call you every single day and tell you that I was thinking about you, but I couldn't risk it. You have to understand that. I haven't touched another woman or even looked at anyone else in two fucking years; I can't get you out of my head."

I took my hands from his and tried to calm down. I needed to think about this and without the new Ghost Edward staring me in the face. Could this really be happening? Was Edward really here after all the tears I had cried over him? It had to be a trick.

"What have you been doing all this time?" I asked, just to talk about something.

He shrugged. "Sit on the beach and read mostly. It's a boring life. Everyone thinks Alec went to boarding school, but he followed me to Brazil when I came. Carlisle calls maybe once every two months. We can only talk for a second, but I always ask about you. No one else knows I'm alive."

"This is so implausible. I can't believe this. I lost everything because of you." I reiterated.

"I know that this isn't the ideal position to be in right now. You're a smart girl and I'm thankful that you stuck around this long, but you deserve so much better. I think you know that."

"You left me." I felt like I was a parrot, repeating myself every five seconds.

"And for that I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't make it all better."

"You're not supposed to be here. Carlisle's going to be pissed out of his mind, but I had to see you. I just need your forgiveness."

"So you didn't come back to Chicago a year ago? That wasn't you?"

"No," he shook his head, "I was right here the whole time."

"Can you ever go back?" I sniffled.

"One day. I'll probably have to return soon for something and all hell's going to break loose."

I didn't really know what to say. I wanted to scream and shout and cry, but just being this close to Edward was bringing back deep feelings that I had missed. As much as I hated him, I just wanted him to hold me. That sounded pathetic, but I didn't care.

"I see you kept the ring," Edward noticed my hand, "and you got the watch."

"Yeah." I nodded, "Is Embry working for you too?" I snorted at the possibility. I heard about who Seth really was and what his purpose was in my life. He basically just watched me for the entire semester we were in class together while playing the undercover cop. His role was "essential" as Carlisle put it. All the lying made me sick.

"No, I just told Carlisle to make sure you got it."

"I don't want it." I took the watch off and threw it on the desk. It landed with a loud thump.

"Do you still love me, Bella?"

"Stop asking me that." I turned away from him.

"Why? I need to know and I'll let you go, but just tell me what you're feeling."

"I don't know. I want to kill you, but I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I still fucking love you!" I shouted out everything I had to give. "I can't help it and I should have just dropped your ass the second I was put in jail, but that's not an option. I can't explain it."

"Carlisle calls it once-in-a-lifetime, Romeo and Juliet love." Edward took my hands again. "Bella, I know we have so much to talk about, but I need you. I have never admitted that about anyone before in my life. These past two years have put everything in perspective. I'll let you go if you want, but I'm asking you… begging you to stay here."

"No," I said with as much gusto as I had, "I can't. I've wasted too much of my life over you. I'm not doing it again. I love you, but I'm not putting myself through this shit."

"I'm sorry. I can't say it enough."

"I feel like you just except me to forgive you and I can't do that right now. I don't even know you anymore."

"I'm still the same Edward."

"No you're not."

"Yes, I am, Bella," he said forcefully, taking my hand and placing it on his chest, over his heart. I could feel the tattoo, which he had gotten for me, and his skin was warm.

"Why are you doing this to me? I could have just gone home and…"

"And done what?"

"Lived." I shrugged.

He dropped my hand and went to his desk. He picked up the phone and started dialing.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm calling a plane so you can go home and live. You can be gone within the hour."

My feet carried me over unconsciously, and I unplugged the phone from the wall.

"I'm giving you what you want. You won't ever hear from me again and I won't bother you." He didn't lift his head. "I'm sorry I brought you here."

I didn't know what to do. I had so many questions that he was going to answer, but suddenly I didn't want to hear it all. His excuses didn't mean anything to me. I wasn't ready to forgive him.

As much as I hated him with my head, my heart wouldn't shut up. Edward was here and I was here; finally together again. He was right. We had a bond that was unbreakable, and that was only intensified now.

Once again, my feet carried me towards him. I couldn't help myself.

"Forgiveness comes with time, Edward. You can't just show up and expect everything to go back to normal." I spoke calmly.

"I realize that. I'm asking you to give me a chance. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make this up to you. Anything you want, you can have."

"I don't know if I even care enough about you to give you that chance." I lied.

"I will walk through fire, Bella. What can I do? Tell me, and I'll do it."

"I don't know but you can't just keep me prisoner on this island. We haven't seen each other in forever and I have so much I want to say to you."

"Then say it," He almost begged, "Tell me everything."

"We need time for all of that. I need to hit you and scream at you and ignore you so that you know how it felt."

"We have all the time in the world, Bella. We're not going anywhere. At least…I'm not going anywhere; ever again. I'm here whether you chose to believe that or not."

This was so wrong and he was starting to convince me that I needed to be here…with him. On some level, I wanted to stay and make him suffer. I didn't know what that entailed, but I wanted to just burn his ass so that he was charcoal. Then on another level, I wanted to stay for me. Who gave a fuck about him? I deserved some happiness after all of this. The only problem: Edward _was_ my happiness.

"Look at me," I said.

He raised his head slightly, but didn't say anything.

I couldn't help the smile that I tried to fight as I stared at him. He was still exceptionally attractive and looked younger, if that was possible. I could tell that his eyes were sad. The green had dulled somewhat, and I couldn't remember him looking so tortured.

"Your hair is lighter." I ran my hand through his soft tresses.

"It's all the sun." He exhaled. "Your hair is darker."

"I haven't noticed."

"You still look the same, though." His fingers traced the lines of my face.

"I should hate you right now; I still do, but… I love you." I wanted to kick myself for sounding like some fickle, romance novel, dumb heroine with no spine. Now I understood why there were so many of them. They all had great loves who had thrown their asses in jail. Well, maybe not, but it was the same concept.

I touched his face, running my hand along his cheek. I had to make sure that he was real.

"I was waiting for you." He kissed my palm, which shot an electric current trough my veins. For the first time in two years, I felt like I could breathe again.

"I don't like all this secrecy."

"I know we have a lot to discuss. I'll answer any question you want. No more lies."

"What about Charlie and Renee and… everyone else? They'll know I went missing if I stay here."

"I'll tell Carlisle in a couple of months. It doesn't really matter where you are, though; we just need to stay hidden. As of now, we've both fallen off the map."

"I feel like there's no resolution to any of this."

"That's why we need to talk," he said hopefully. "I have a lot to tell you."

"I have a lot to tell you too." I sighed, remembering the most important thing, "I lost the baby."

He breathed deeply. "I know."

"You know?"

"Well, I figured when I didn't hear of you showing that something had happened, so I made a few calls and talked to the doctors secretly. I actually hacked their records from Switzerland. It was incredibly easy to keep tabs on you electronically." He said mater-of-factually.

"I guess you got what you wanted then."

"Bella, don't say that. I was a dick and I know it, but if… that's what you wanted, then I would have dealt with it. Children have never been my goal in life, but with you it might not have been so bad. I couldn't see that then. I just needed time."

"Time that we didn't have." I pushed the tears back. "I just needed you there and you weren't."

"I'm sorry."

"You're so good with your emotion words now." I choked out a laugh, "What happened?"

"I've been practicing since the day I got here. I've had my speeches memorized for a long time." He pulled off his already unbuttoned white shirt, and I really wanted to let my fingers dance across his stomach. It was a wonder that I hadn't exploded yet.

"What are you doing?"

"I got this after I found out about the baby." Edward pointed to his right shoulder. I lightly touched the small set of angel wings that were done all in white and stood out against his newly tanned skin. "I wanted to at least send more flowers, but it was too late at that point."

I was too choked up to say anything.

"I had a standing order with the flower shop to deliver roses each time they got a new shipment." Edward wiped my face. "In case you were wondering."

"I was, actually," I said stupidly. "That was really sweet, with the tattoo and everything. Fuck those roses. They only made me madder every time I got them."

"I know how much you loved that baby, and even though I didn't agree with it, I understand."

"Did you tell anyone?"

"No, did you?"

I shook my head. "I didn't think Esme could take another shock."

"I figured I would let you say something, if you wanted."

"Do you still love me?" I asked, needing to know.

"How could you even ask me that question?" He rested his forehead on mine. "I don't think I've ever loved like this in my life. It actually hurts. You have my heart and my soul; I'm willing to give you anything else. Just…stay with me. I need you here."

I couldn't help myself as I rose on my toes and meshed my lips to his.

It was one of those explosive, eruptive, electrifying, epic kisses that should only be shown in movies. After two years apart, neither of us was holding back and flashes of memories started flooding back of a time when I was happy with Edward. Could we have that again? Everything was telling me yes. It was going to take years, tons of tears, and a lot of shouting on my part, but was I willing to even give him that chance?

What was I giving up by not staying? A shot at true love? A once and a lifetime spark? I was young, but I knew Edward and I had it. We had been through it all and the strength of my feelings was making it almost impossible for me to deny the possibility of staying.

Once we were both exhausted, we pulled away slightly. Edward's forehead was on mine again as his breath washed over my face. I had soft tears on my face and he wiped them away. I had made my decision and by the look in his eyes, I could tell that he knew what I was thinking.

"I love you, Bella. Always and forever."

* * *

**HOLY...WELL. IT'S THE VERY END BATMAN**

**WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY? I FEEL SO LOST NOW. **

**DO YOU EEL UNFULFILLED WITH THE ENDING? MOST OF YOU GOT THAT EDWARD WASN'T REALLY DEAD, BUT I SURE DID GET SOME HATE MAIL. I ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN. DONT DOUBT ME NEXT TIME. THIS IS ONLY THE HALFWAY POINT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT I HAVE PLANNED NEXT. GOTTA KEEP SOME MYSTERY FOR THE SEQUEL. EXPECT THAT IN MARCH. LOTS MORE CULLENS AND LOTS MORE BLOOD. I ALREADY HAVE IT PLANNED, I JUST NEED A BREAK FROM THESE TWO. THEY RAN ME RAGGED. **

**IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN READ MY NEW STORY, "**THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE BLACKBIRD RORSCHACH"**. IT'S ONLY STILL AT 7 CHAPTERS BUT WE'RE ALREADY OFF TO A GREAT START.  
**

**THIS HAS BEEN ONE HELL OF A RIDE AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN THERE FROM THE BEGINNING AND THOSE WHO JUMPED ON THE WAGON THE MIDDLE, WHEREVER. I WRITE BECAUSE YOU GUYS MADE IT SO EASY TO KEEP GOING. I REALLY MEAN THAT. THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS AND ALERTS. ALSO, THANKS TO JENNY BETA'ING AND FOR PUTTING UP WITH MY CRAZY ASS. WE FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS BUT ITS ALL IN THE NAME OF ARTISTIC LOVE. **

**I'LL SEE YOU GUYS IN MARCH FOR PART II. IT CURRENTLY STILL HAS NO TITLE BUT I HAVE THE PLAN IN MY HEAD. ITS GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE. **

**AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE YOU GUYS. **

**FOR THE LAST TIME, JOHNNYBOY OUT!  
**


	48. TWBB2

Hello all!

I know everyone's excited for TWBB2 (it has a different name, but that's the working title). Like I've said previously, the sequel is happening and will be out in March. I'm currently writing it and have a good portion of the first few chapters done. There are currently three in the beta's inbox so we're well on our way.

Lots going on even from the beginning. I know I left some of you feeling unsatisfied and asking questions. It will all be sorted out within the first couple of chapters. Of course, there will be elements of the old story mixed with lots of new characters, drama, and my imaginary craziness. Many, many different ways to go and I will definitely be pulling out all the stops. Lots of blood of course and more of our Bella and Edward.

Prologue will be out on March 1 with chapter 1 coming later in the month. I'm not sure when, probably mid-March when I'll start it.

I'm writing my other fic right now, _"_The Mysterious Case of the Blackbird Rorschach" and will have to do both of these at the same time so expect probably weekly updates. You can occupy yourself with that one for now. In regards to LDV sequel, that will also happen as well in the summer. I didn't forgot.

I just wanted to write and tell everyone that TWBB2 is still a go and I haven't abandoned anyone. Happy to see that people still want it to happen.

Until March 1, have fun reading. See you then.

You can, as always, follow me on twitter for updates and status reports**(at)johnnyboy1029**


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